


The Ship of Dreams

by NemiMontoya



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, Disasters, Forbidden Love, Happy Ending, Inspired by a Movie, M/M, RMS Titanic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-17
Updated: 2013-04-23
Packaged: 2017-12-05 14:13:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/724207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NemiMontoya/pseuds/NemiMontoya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Kadam fic based on the movie Titanic!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's hard out there for a Kadam shipper, isn't it? Many seem to think that Adam will be gone by the end of season 4. I've seen many comments from depressed Kadam shippers online, and who can blame them? I was pleased to hear Kurt would be getting a new love interest, but I never expected to like him as much as I do. That's why I'm so disappointed he might be gone so soon. So that's why I decided to write this fic: because (1) every pairing should have their own Titanic AU fic, and (2) I wanted to give Kurt a happy ending with Adam for myself and anyone else who might want that. Ah, but Titanic has a _tragic_ ending, you say? Not in this fic, it doesn't – I'm going for a happy ending for this one, and I thought I might as well tell you that from the beginning. However, since this is Titanic we're talking about, not everyone will make it. At this point, there is one character will not make it, the fate of the others is still undetermined, so be forewarned! Be aware there is also some OOC-ness, mostly in Sebastian, who's been given Cal's role – I kind of like Sebastian, and even though he can be a bastard sometimes I don't think he's nearly as big a bastard as Cal, but someone had to take that role and I decided on Sebastian.
> 
>  
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee or Titanic._

“ _So this is the Ship of Dreams...?_ ” Kurt Hummel thought to himself, eyeing the brand new liner Titanic with a slight curl of distaste playing about his lips. To be sure, the ship was an impressive sight, and under different circumstances he might have been as thrilled as everyone else at taking part of her maiden voyage. But, taking in consideration that he and his stepsister Quinn were on their way to their doom, the beautiful ship, for a its luxury, seemed little more than a floating prison. He looked at Quinn, who seemed in as low spirits as himself.

“I'm surprised they didn't bring us here in shackles,” he whispered to her.

“It will be alright,” she said, squeezing his hand. But he could tell she didn't quite believe her own words. Judy Fabray-Hummel, Quinn's mother and Kurt's stepmother, stepped up beside them, grabbing Quinn's arm.

“Oh, Quinnie, doesn't it look magnificent?”

Turning her head away from her mother towards Kurt, Quinn mouthed her mother's words with exaggerated facial expressions and rolled her eyes, making Kurt smile for the first time in days. The smile quickly vanished as Quinn's fiancée, Sebastian Smythe stepped up beside him.

“What do you think?” he asked, smiling that superior smirk which seemed to be the only way he knew how to smile. Kurt couldn't remember a single instance where he had seen a sincere smile on Sebastian's face. Kurt plastered an equally insincere smile on his own face.

“I really don't see what all the fuss is about, Sebastian. Do you, Quinn?”

“Not especially. Seems like any other ship to me.”

“You two are hard to please,” Sebastian said, his smirk deepening.

“Please don't mind them, mr Smythe,” mrs Fabray-Hummel said, waving her hand dismissively. “They enjoy teasing and trying my patience.”

“Let's move aboard, shall we? Perhaps they will have something more admiring to say once they've seen the inside of the ship. Hunter, have the porters tend to the luggage and the safe!” Sebastian barked at his manservant. Kurt flinched as Sebastian's hand briefly slid down the small of his back as the company moved to board the ship, walking past the third class passengers who were in the process of being inspected for lice. The crew greeted them as they came aboard, but Kurt barely heard them, his own voice screaming hopelessly inside his head:

“ _How will I ever survive this?!_ ”

*

At the same time as Kurt and his family was boarding the Titanic, in a small bar close by a very different company were gathered. Four men were seated around a table, smoke from cigars and cigarettes thick in the air around them. They were all intensely staring at the playing cards in their hands, occasionally taking a swig from their glasses.

“You bloody idiot! You're gonna lose our tickets!” one of the men growled in Swedish to his companion, who promptly told him to shut up. The other two young men at the table were equally tense. Or, at least one of them were.

“Adam,” Noah Puckerman – Puck to his friends - hissed at his companion. “Are you out of your goddamn mind? You realize you've bet everything we have?”

Smiling, Adam turned to him and whispered mischievously:

“Puck, when you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose.”

Puck shook his head with a frown and muttered something inaudible as Adam dealt new cards to the players. He took one for himself, not single muscle in his face betraying the possible outcome of the hand.

“Gentlemen, the time has come. Let's find out whose life has changed, shall we?”

Everyone seemed to take a deep breath.

“Puck?” Adam turned to his friend, who tossed his cards on the table.

“Nothing,” Adam stated.

“Yeah, nothing!” Puck growled.

Ignoring him, Adam turned to the next man.

“Olaf?”

The man revealed his hand.

“Nothing there either. Sven...?”

The third man on the table placed his cards on the table.

“Two pair.”

Adam squirmed in his seat, turning to Puck.

“I'm really sorry, Puck...”

“Yeah?! Not as sorry as you're gonna be when I'm done with you, you motherf...”

“I'm _sorry_...” Adam interrupted him, “...because you're gonna have to disappoint that barmaid you promised to meet tonight since we will be on our way to America! Full house, lads!”

Adam tossed his cards on the table, laughing with glee. Puck stared at the cards in stunned silence for about five seconds, then leapt to his feet, hugging Adam and laughing while the other two men began fighting.

“I'm going home! Adam, you magnificent bastard, I'm going home!”

“Right you are, Puck, you're going home!” Adam hugged Puck back. “America, here we come!”

“Then you'd better hurry, lads,” the barkeep cut in, pointing at the clock on the wall behind him, “because the Titanic is leaving in exactly five minutes!”

“Shit!” Adam and Puck said, then grabbed the money and the tickets from the table and rushed off as fast as their legs would carry them.

“This is it, Puck, my friend!” Adam yelled as they ran “Our luck is starting to change!”

“You are crazy as hell, but I'll never doubt you again! I can't wait to get back home! I can't remember the last time I saw my family. My little sister must be all grown up by now!”

“If you want to see them you'd better hurry up! Remember, I've got the tickets!” Adam laughed. They reached the Titanic just as a crew member was ready to close the door.

“Hold it, we're passengers!” Adam yelled.

The man peered suspiciously at them.

“Have you two had your lice inspection?”

“Of course! We're Americans, pal! Would an _American_ have _lice_?” Adam said haughtily in an American accent while Puck struggled to hold back laughter.

The man allowed them to board. 

Giggling, they made their way to the deck where a great deal of the passengers were gathered, waving to the people below. Adam and Puck joined in, waving and smiling.

“Goodbye! I'll never forget you” they shouted to no one in particular as the ship slowly began to put distance between itself and the dock, steadily heading out towards the sea.

When they had left the port, Adam and Puck went off in search of their cabin. Once located, they introduced themselves to the other two men already there, who seemed somewhat bewildered by their presence. Adam deduced from their low mutterings in Swedish that they had been expecting Sven and Olaf, as he heard Sven's name mentioned.

“ _Sven's loss is my gain_ ,” he thought contentedly, stretching out on the bottom bunk since Puck had already claimed the top one.

“Hey, Adam..?”  
“Yeah?”

“It's a shame I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to that barmaid before we left. I liked her.”

“Me too. What was her name again?”

“Lauren.”

“That's right. I would have liked to draw her. Very spirited woman.”

“Yeah. I like a fiery dame.”

“Well, Lauren the fiery barmaid might be beyond your reach, but there's bound to be at least one more dame of her caliber somewhere on this ship, so let's hope you find her.”

“Yeah. Let's hope that.”

A moment of silence passed, then Puck spoke again:

“Adam?”

“I hope there's a fiery guy somewhere on this ship for you.”

“Thank you, Puck,” Adam smiled. “That'd be nice.”

*

While Adam and Puck were resting in their cabin, Kurt was making himself busy in his personal suite. If this place was going to be his temporary prison, then he at least wanted to make it somewhat tolerable. Therefore, he had had some favorite paintings of his brought from their luggage, and was in the process of finding the proper spots for them around the room. A derisive snort signaled that Sebastian had entered the room.

“Not those again? Must you insist on dragging them with you wherever we go? They're hardly worth the effort.”

“Since I, unlike you, have some actual taste in art – _and_ in general – I am of a completely different opinion,” Kurt said without looking at Sebastian. “They're absolutely extraordinary.”

“What's the name of the artist's who painted this one, sir?” a servant inquired.

“Picasso, I think. Mark my words Sebastian, these works will be milestones in the history of art.”

“Hardly,” Sebastian sneered. “Even at their cheap price I still think they were a waste of money. However, if they please you, then by all means hold on to them.”

Ignoring Sebastian, Kurt took another painting and moved it into the bedroom. Kurt could never stand to look at Sebastian one minute more than necessary. He might be Quinn's fiancée in name, but in actuality their engagement was all a front, a part of Sebastian's little “arrangement” with Kurt's stepmother.

Kurt had lost his mother at a very young age. It had been a very trying time for him and his father, Burt. Taking a deep breath, Kurt forced back a few tears. He could never think of his father without feeling a sharp pain in his chest. The two of them had moved past their loss, Burt raising his little boy on his own, supporting him through thick and thin and giving him unconditional love. When Kurt was fourteen, Burt had at a social function been introduced to the widow Judy Fabray and had been quite taken with her, and since Kurt had struck up a friendship with her daughter Quinn, Burt made the rather hasty decision of getting remarried to the widow. As it was, he came to regret the decision, for it turned out he had next to nothing in common with Judy, and their marriage was less than blissful. Two years ago, when Kurt was seventeen, Burt had passed away when his heart gave out.

Kurt had been heartbroken when he lost his father. The pain was excruciating. But he had survived that too, like his mother's death, mostly thanks to the loving care he received from Quinn, and the following eighteen months had been spent in relative peace, even though he got along even worse with his stepmother than his father had. And then along came Sebastian Smythe.  
The Smythe family was the wealthiest family in their circle of acquaintance. Sebastian was their only son, and Kurt had taken an instant dislike to the other young man the moment they were introduced. He found Sebastian rude, snide and self-centered. The only thing they seemed to have in common were their secret attraction to other men rather than women. However, that fact didn't lessen Kurt's dislike for Sebastian the slightest. Sebastian, on the other hand felt quite differently towards Kurt. After some initial teasing, he had begun to make repeated sexual advances towards Kurt. When those kept getting rejected, his attraction to Kurt seemed to grow into an obsession. He wanted Kurt. And the Smythes always got what they wanted.

Some research uncovered that mrs Fabray-Hummel's finances were in a sorry state. And that was all Sebastian needed to know. He approached her with a proposal: he would marry Quinn and thereby making sure that both she and her mother would be set for life (not to mention that they would be included in one of the most well-respected families there was). After a few months' “honeymoon” in town, Quinn and her mother would be installed in the Smythe's countryside residence, while Kurt remained with him in New York with the excuse of assisting Sebastian in managing the family business, but in reality be nothing more than his kept lover. Judy had agreed to the arrangement immediately.

Kurt almost wished he _had_ given in to Sebastian, rather than being forced to endure the loss of not only his own freedom, but also Quinn's. He had thought many times of running away, but every time he did he thought of Quinn. Her kindness to him following his father's death had probably saved his life. If he ran, what little there was left of his father's money would run out, and Quinn and her mother would be impoverished, and would have to struggle greatly to get by. Sebastian had promised to be generous to the ladies, and even though Quinn would be forced to enter a loveless marriage, Sebastian had promised to finance tuition for Quinn at a women's college, something she had always dreamed of. Sebastian knew how much Kurt cared for his stepsister, and he had certainly used that knowledge to his advantage.

Kurt was trapped, and he could see no way out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 2! Hope you enjoy! Comments are appreciated!

Titanic had left Ireland. Now there was nothing but ocean as far as the eye could reach, and ship had increased its speed. Adam was with Puck at the bow, laughing and pointing at a handful of dolphins who were playing in the streams of water around the Titanic. Adam smiled and turned his face up against the wind and sunlight, filled with an almost overwhelming sense of being young, free and alive. He felt absolutely invincible, as if he were king of the entire world. He wanted to shout it out at the top of his lungs... and so he did. He stepped up on the railing, screamed and cheered, stretching out his arms and looking down at the water rushing past. It felt incredible. 

It felt like flying.

*

Kurt was sitting down to a meal, awkwardly placed between Sebastian and his stepmother. Quinn was seated on Sebastian's other side, and a few other first-class passengers had joined them at their table. Normally in such situations Kurt would be doing his best to keep the boredom from showing on his face. This time, however, his interest was slightly piqued by one member of their company – a young woman of Kurt and Quinn's age, who was almost the sole subject of society gossip this season: ms. Santana Lopez. 

She was an unmarried young heiress who had inherited her newly rich father upon his death. The fact that her father had let her inherit without assigning her a male guardian to manage her fortune for her seemed quite outrageous to most people. Some of the more vicious rumors surrounding ms. Lopez inheritance suggested that she had blackmailed her father to let her inherit without strings attached and then poisoned him to death. Kurt didn't believe it for one second – he had heard her speak of her father, and he had seen the same look on her face that he always saw in the mirror whenever he thought of his own. The look of painful loss.

There was plenty more besides the inheritance to gossip about when it came to ms. Lopez – she had invested some of her money into motion pictures, which many considered a tasteless venture. She was frank and unabashed in a manner that was decidedly “un-ladylike”. There was whispers that she been discovered having a romantic affair with the eldest daughter of the Pierce family, and since the Pierces were currently in New York, many on the ship was speculating that ms. Lopez was on her way to rekindle the affair. 

Normally a woman of such scandalous reputation would be ostracized from the “finer” circles, but she had made herself an object of such curiosity that people kept including her on the off chance of revealing more details regarding the rumors surrounding her. Kurt was also curious about her, but not so much because of the rumors as the confident way she had about her. She had a sharp tongue, and she always seemed to be able to hold her head high without the smallest bit of effort. He admired her.

With them also on by the table was the White Star line chairman, mr Rod Remington, whom Kurt considered an absolute bore, as well as the architect, mr William Schuester, pleasant enough but not especially interesting either. The two men, mr Remington especially, were in the process of going on endlessly about the properties of their brand new ship to the entire table, and especially about her size.

“I can safely say she's not only the largest vessel White Star Line has ever built, she's also the largest moving object in history,” Remington bragged with a self-satisfied smile. Mr Schuester here certainly did a fine job designing her.”

“Well, I may have designed her, but I can't take full credit. This was mr Remington's vision: grandeur and luxury that would by far surpass anything ever seen before. And to be sure: we succeeded.”

Kurt felt the old boredom creeping up on him again. If these two were going to go on like this all throughout their meal he feared he might fall asleep at the table. He soon forgot his boredom, however, when the waiter who were taking orders at their table turned to him – as soon as he opened his mouth to order his meal, Sebastian interrupted by doing it for him. As an afterthought he ordered Quinn's meal as well. Kurt felt mortified and silently cursed Sebastian's name for the millionth time for embarrassing him.

“Isn't that just precious?” ms. Lopez smirked. “Are you going to cut their meat for them too?”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at her and didn't answer. To fill the awkward silence, Remington began boasting again.

“So, we decided on the name Titanic, since we wanted a name that would symbolize her remarkable strength and size, and something the public would associate with luxury and stability.”

“Speaking of _size_ ,” Kurt said, turning to mr Remington, “I read some of Dr Sigmund Freud's work recently, and he had some absolutely _fascinating_ ideas about why some men constantly obsess about it. I'm sure you would find it _very_ interesting.”

“Kurt!” Judy hissed as Quinn and mr Schuester discreetly hid their smiles. Ms. Lopez, however, snorted openly as Kurt rose and excused himself from the table.

“I like him,” she said after he left, turning to Sebastian. “I'm sure you will enjoy having him as your... brother in-law, Sebastian.”

“Thank you, I'm sure I will,” he replied, calmly meeting her mocking eyes.

*

Up on deck, Adam and Puck were enjoying the fresh air and amusing themselves, Puck by talking to the other passengers, Adam by drawing them. He was busy at work with drawing a little girl and her father by the railing when a rather loud female voice interrupted his concentration.

“Oh, Finn, look! Isn't that pretty?”

He looked up to see a rather small brunette clinging to the arm of a tall young man.

“Your drawing is very lovely,” she said, smiling toothily at Adam.

“Thank you, miss...?”

“Berry. Rachel Berry. Remember that name, because one day it will be known all over the world. I'm a singer, and that's why I'm going to New York – so that I can find people who will recognize my talent and make me famous. Oh, this is my fiancée, Finn!”

“Hi, I'm Finn Hudson,” the young man said, shaking hands with Adam and Puck, who introduced themselves as well to the couple.

“So, you're a singer?” Adam asked, a little amused by the brunette's odd behavior.

“I am indeed. If you ever want to draw my portrait you are quite welcome to do so. It's going to become quite valuable once I'm famous. I'll even sign it for you. Then you can tell everyone you met me and drew my portrait while I was still unknown!”

“Well, thank you but I...”

“Just imagine! Having drawn _my_ portrait will make _you_ famous as well!” she said eagerly. Finn gave Adam an apologetic look.

“Look, I know a lot of people go to New York and say they're going to become famous,” he said, putting his arm around Rachel's shoulders. “But Rachel will definitely make it. Her voice is something special. She's got a gift.”

Rachel smiled adoringly at Finn. Adam was about to respond when he glanced up and his eyes happened to fall on something that made him forget all about Finn, Rachel and Puck – and for a moment he was pretty sure he had even forgotten his own name. All he was aware of was the sensation of his heart, throbbing and expanding in his chest as if it were about to burst, and the sight upon which his eyes were fixed. 

It was a young man, about his own age, or perhaps a few years younger. He was standing on the upper promenade deck reserved for the first class passengers, his hands resting against the railing, and his eyes were absently gazing at the horizon. He had a well-sculpted body and long legs, pale porcelain skin and light brown hair that shimmered with specks of gold in the setting sun. Adam had never seen another man like him. 

He was _breathtaking_.

“Uhm, Adam...?”

Through a haze, Adam realized that Puck was trying to get his attention, but he was unable to look away. Unfortunately, the moment was over too soon. Another young man on the promenade deck came up and spoke to the beautiful one who said something in response and then left, the other man following.

“Oh man, you were really out of it!” Puck laughed.

“What a beautiful boy!” Rachel exclaimed loudly. “You have very good taste, Adam.”

“Rachel...” Finn hissed.

“What? It's nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I know, but...” Finn started, but was interrupted by Rachel.

“You don't have to worry about me or Finn judging you, Adam. I have two fathers who love each other very much. They found me on their doorstep when I was a baby, and decided to raise me as their own daughter. I had the most loving childhood anyone could wish for. They even hired the actress and singer Shelby Corcoran to give me singing lessons! Granted, she was only an understudy at...”

Adam didn't want to be rude to his new friends, but he found himself tuning out the sound of Rachel regaling them with the tale of her upbringing, and instead relished the pleasant feeling of butterflies in his stomach at the thought of the young man. He knew without a doubt that whether he ever got to actually meet him or not, what had happened just now was one of those moments you never really forget.

“Adam, let it go, man.” Puck said in a low voice. ”You know we're not allowed near those rich people, anyway.”

“I know.”

Puck was right. He would probably never even see the young man again.

*

Kurt was seated by a table in the dining hall. Though he was surrounded by people, he felt hopelessly alone, like a bird locked in a gilded cage, his dreams and his freedom stolen from him. He was about to be pushed into a life as a lover to a man he hated, never again allowed to be himself and forever surrounded by the same vapid people, none of whom cared one whit about him. His father was gone, and his stepmother had always despised him. The only one he had was Quinn, but they would soon be separated, and doubted very much he would be allowed spend much time with her in the future. He would be completely alone, living out the rest of his days as Sebastian's pet.

An overwhelming sense of claustrophobia gripped him, and he felt a desperate need for fresh air. He quietly rose and slipped out of the dining hall to go outside. Outside, the hopelessness of his situation became too much, and tears began streaming down his face. There were other people around him, and desperate for some privacy, he ran, pushing past people and not bothering to stop when they angrily shouted after him. He didn't stop until he reached the stern of the ship, where the area was void of people. He leaned against the railing, half panting, half sobbing.

“ _I can't do this! I'm sorry, Quinn, I **can't**!_ ”

Looking down, he could see the water rushing out from around the ship in white, foamy waves. And then, almost as if his body was moving on his own, he stepped up on the railing and climbed over to the other side. Holding on the the railing with trembling hands he turned his back against the ship and stared down at the water. He could see himself falling through the cold air, then smacking into the water surface with a splash before being swept away in the whirling currents. 

_“In that brief moment before I hit the water... will I feel free?”_

He took a few deep breaths... and suddenly a voice behind him said:

“Wait... don't do it.”

*

Adam was stretched out on his back on a bench near the stern of the ship, enjoying the silence. He looked up at the myriad of stars in the velvety black night sky, letting himself daydream about the man from before. It was a moment of absolute peace and serenity, but it was disturbed as someone rushed past his bench, sobbing uncontrollably. He got up and followed, wondering if the person needed help. As he reached the stern of the ship, he could see a male figure who to his horror had climbed over the railing and was now looking every bit as if he were trying to get the nerve to jump.

“ _Oh shit,_ ” Adam thought, cautiously approaching.

“Wait... don't do it,” he called out. As the other man turned his head, he was shocked to see it was the same beautiful face he'd just been thinking about, only now it was streaked with tears.

“Don't come any closer!” he yelled at Adam. “I'll let go, I swear!”

Adam was silent for a moment, then said:

“No, you won't.”

The young man looked furious.

“Excuse me?! Who do you think you are, saying that to me? You don't even know me!”

“If you really wanted to, you would have done it already.”

The young man seemed a little taken aback.

“Please go away!” he yelled.

“I can't do that,” Adam said, slowly approaching. “If you really mean to jump, I can't leave you here.”

He shrugged off his brown leather jacket, then bent down and began unlacing his shoes.

“What exactly do you think you're doing?” the young man demanded.

“I can't have another person's life on my conscience,” Adam said. “If you jump, I'm jumping in after you.”

“What?! You'll be killed!”

“I'm a strong swimmer.”

“You'll die from the fall.”

“It will hurt, that's for sure. But it's not really the fall that bothers me, it's more the cold water. Do you have any idea how cold it is?”

The young man hesitated.

“How cold?”

“Freezing. A few degrees over at most... You know, when I was a child, sometimes we would go ice fishing in the winters. You upper class lads ever do that?”

“...what...?”

“I wasn't sure if you did. Anyway, once, I was about nine, I think, I fell through thin ice. And water that cold... like the water down there below your feet... it felt like being stabbed by a thousand knives all at once. In that moment I was underwater, there was nothing but mind numbing pain. It was the worst thing I've ever felt in my life. But I'm still going to jump in after you,” he said with a resigned sigh.

“You're crazy!”

Adam smiled.

“Possibly. Everyone says so... but I'm not the one clinging to the back of a ship.”

Adam held out his hand. The young man looked at him hesitantly.

“Come on,” Adam said gently. “You don't really want to do this. Give me your hand and I'll pull you back in. You can trust me.”

Adam inwardly sighed with relief when a cold, shaking hand slipped into his, and the man turned to grab his shoulder with the other.

“There we go... I'm Adam Crawford.”

“Kurt Hummel.”

“Nice to meet you, Kurt Hummel. I'd shake your hand, but I think you'd better climb back onto the deck before I do that.”

Kurt smiled with trembling lips and put his foot up on the railing... and slipped. Clinging to Adam's hand for dear life, he screamed with fear.

“Help! Please help me!”

“I will!” Adam shouted. “I'm not letting go, Kurt! I'm going to pull you back up, and you grab onto the railing and you pull yourself up!”

Adam pulled for all he was worth as Kurt grabbed the railing and pulled himself up. Grabbing Kurt, Adam dragged him over the railing and onto the deck where where they collapsed in a heap, Adam on top of Kurt. Adam was just about about stand and help Kurt up, when a voice yelled:

“What's going on here?!”

Looking up, Adam saw several crew members staring down at them. As their eyes darted between the pile that was Adam's jacket and shoes and Kurt, shocked and trembling underneath him, he saw their eyes darken, and he knew what they thought.

“You back the hell of him and stay put!” one of them shouted at him, then turned to one of his comrades. “Fetch the Master of arms!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter two. Thanks to everyone who's been reading so far!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 3! Thanks to everyone who's been reading!
> 
>  
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee or Titanic._

Kurt sat shivering on a bench, vaguely registering the sensation of a blanket being placed over his shoulders. He was dazed from the shock of what he had almost done.

“ _I can't believe I did that. That was so **stupid**! That man... Adam... he was right. I don't want to die. I just want to be free._ ” 

Kurt tugged the blanket a little closer around his body.

“ _He saved my life._ ”

He had never, ever felt so humbled. He looked up, his eyes searching for the man in question, and was surprised when he realized that Sebastian had arrived without him even noticing. Not only that, but the crew members were placing handcuffs on Adam.

“ _Oh, no..._ ”

Sebastian had grabbed the collar of Adam's shirt and his eyes were narrowed.

“How dare you!” he whispered dangerously. “How dare you put your hands on my... on my brother-in-law!”

“Wait, Sebastian! That's not what happened!” Kurt said, rushing over.

Sebastian stared at him.

“What are you talking about?”

“It was all an accident... I was really stupid,” Kurt babbled. “I was being careless, leaning over the railing, and these stupid shoes of mine... I slipped and almost fell, but mr Crawford here caught me and pulled me in. He saved me.”

Everyone stared.

“What were you doing leaning that far over?” Sebastian demanded.

“I thought I saw some... fish.” Kurt said weakly. To his surprise, everyone seemed to swallow the lie.

“Fish... Kurt, honestly,” Sebastian sighed. “This is a sign that you should stop wearing those slippery, feminine-looking shoes you're so fond of.”

Furious, Kurt pressed his lips together in a thin line. The crew members unlocked Adam's handcuffs and congratulated him, shaking his hand. Sebastian turned to him, an insincere smile on his face.

“I suppose thanks are in order, then.” He beckoned his manservant over. “Hunter, give this man ten dollars.”

“Ten dollars...? Surely my life is worth more than that?” Kurt said glaring at Sebastian.

Sebastian sighed.

“Of course, Kurt, you're absolutely right.” A wicked gleam appeared in his eyes. “Here's a thought: why don't you join us at dinner tomorrow night and regale us with the tale of your heroic deed?”

Adam's eyes fixed on Kurt.

“Sure. I'll be there.”

“Great,” Sebastian smirked. “See you then. Kurt, it's cold, let's get inside.”

Pushing Kurt in front of him, Sebastian smiled and muttered to himself:

“This should be entertaining.”

Hunter stayed behind until everyone had cleared away. Taking out a cigarette case, he lit a cigarette, then offered one to Adam, who declined.

“Really well done,” he said.

“Thanks,” Adam said, not liking the scrutinizing look in the other man's eyes.

“Funny though,” Hunter continued, “that even though he slipped so suddenly you still had time to remove your jacket and you shoes... _and_ introduce yourself.”

Adam was silent.

“Goodnight... _mr_ Crawford,” Hunter said, dramatically exhaling a puff of smoke before slowly walking away.

*

Changed into his silk pajamas, Kurt sat by the dresser in his suite getting ready for bed. Studying his own face in the mirror, he thought it looked worn and tired. Well, it wasn't strange, considering. It had been an eventful night. Taking a dab of rose-scented skin cream, he gently massaged it into his skin, closing his eyes as he did so. Sebastian used to ridicule him for this habit, but he found it very relaxing.

His eyes flew open as the door opened and Sebastian stepped inside.

“Just wanted to make sure you were alright,” he said.

“How considerate of you,” Kurt remarked dryly.

Sighing, Sebastian moved closer to stand beside Kurt.

“Look, I know you're unhappy with our arrangement...”

“You're not only considerate,” Kurt said. “You're also astute.” Looking up, he met Sebastian's eyes. “Why did you have to go this far? Why did you have to involve Quinn in your sick games?”

Sebastian calmly met his eyes, and for a moment his expression was almost tender.

“Because I'm not playing games anymore.”

Reaching out, he caressed Kurt's jaw with his fingertips.

“You kept resisting me, and I could see no other way of making you give in to me. I want you, more that I've ever wanted anything in my entire life. I need Quinn for my insurance, to keep you from making any... rash decisions.”

Pulling up a chair, Sebastian sat down beside Kurt.

“This benefits us all, you know. You'll be part of one of the most influential families in America. Not just you, but also Quinn and Judy will have anything you could ever want. As long as you give me what _I_ want. And...” Sebastian's hand touched Kurt's knee. “I think once you've let go of your stubborn resentment for me, I think you'll see I'm not such a bad guy. And then maybe you'll learn to love me. Because I do love _you_ , Kurt.”

Leaning over, he pressed his lips against Kurt's, then rose and moved to the door.

“I'll leave you alone for now to think things over. But I was thinking you could spend the night in my suite tomorrow.”

Kurt didn't answer. Sebastian opened the door, said goodnight, and left.

*

Having spent the entire day gathering courage, Kurt set off late in the afternoon in search of Adam. He felt he owed the man and explanation – not to mention his thanks – for what had happened. He cautiously snuck away to the third class passenger's promenade on the Bridge Deck, and was relieved to spot Adam right away, seated by the railing, talking to two other men and a woman, all about his own age.

Taking the time to really look at Adam this time, Kurt realized that the other man was attractive – _very_ attractive, in fact. He was quite tall, had broad shoulders and strong arms, smiling eyes and blond hair that gleamed in the sun. Kurt felt a fluttering sensation in his chest as he observed Adam, laughing with his friends. As Kurt slowly approached, one of the men nudged Adam's arm and nodded in Kurt's direction.

“Good afternoon...” Kurt said awkwardly as Adam looked up.

“Hello,” Adam smiled.

“Uhm... I was hoping I could speak to you privately. Would you mind taking a walk with me on the Promenade Deck?”

Adam's smile widened.

“Sure.”

They walked off together to the Promenade Deck. Fidgeting, Kurt cleared his throat.

“First of all, I owe you an apology. Not only did I almost get you arrested, I nearly got you killed! I'm so sorry, mr Crawford.”

“Adam. Think nothing of it, Kurt.”

“And second... I need to thank you, mr... I mean Adam. For what you did, and... for not telling anyone of the real reason I fell.”

“You're welcome.”

Kurt was silent for a few minutes, barely daring to look at Adam.

“You really must think I'm some awful, spoiled brat who doesn't know the first thing about hardship.”

Adam stopped walking to look at Kurt.

“I would never think that, Kurt. I've seen enough of the world to know that there's many different kinds of pain, and that they should never be compared. Just because there might be someone else out there who's had it worse, doesn't mean your pain isn't real.”

Kurt met Adam's eyes. They were sincere, and there was an expression of sympathy, not pity, in them. Adam smiled kindly at Kurt.

“Do you want to talk about it? I know we've just met, but I think I've proven I'm trustworthy.”

“I trust you,” Kurt said, returning Adam's smile. “I'm just not sure you'd believe me. The whole thing is utterly insane.”

“Try me.”

Kurt shook his head.

“I can't... It's just... I find myself in this hopeless situation where the rest of my life is being decided for me, and there's nothing I can do about it. Sebastian...”

“That guy from last night?”

Kurt nodded.

“He's engaged to my stepsister, Quinn, and... well, he's got our whole family in an iron grip.”

Adam silently studied Kurt, and Kurt suddenly had the feeling that Adam could see straight through him.

“Well, enough about me,” Kurt said quickly, wanting to change the subject. “Tell me about yourself, Adam. What do you do when you're not traveling?”

“See for yourself,” Adam said, handing Kurt the worn leather portfolio he'd been carrying under his arm.

“Oh...” Kurt said as he opened it and began looking through the drawings. “They're wonderful!”

Sitting down in a lounge chair, Kurt carefully looked through Adam's work, each drawing more beautiful than the last.

“I'm glad you like them,” Adam said, sitting down. “I don't always get that reaction. Certainly not in Paris.”

Kurt smiled.

“You're a man of the world, aren't you?”

“I like a good adventure.”

Turning to the next drawing, Kurt blushed as a full frontal nude portrait of young male was revealed. Adam laughed softly.

“This is Michael Chang. I met him in London. The most skilled dancer I've ever seen. Really outstanding, graceful like you wouldn't believe.”

Kurt peered curiously at Adam.

“He wasn't my lover, if that's what you're wondering.”

“Oh no, I wasn't...”

“Not that I wasn't interested,” Adam interrupted. “But even though he was kind enough to pose, Mike only liked women. Unlike me.”

Adam steadily held Kurt's gaze.

“Then... we're the same,” Kurt whispered. It felt strange to talk openly about it like this. In Kurt's circles such things were supposed to be kept quiet. To openly admit that you weren't heterosexual was to invite a world of trouble. The only person Kurt had ever talked to about such things was Sebastian, but their conversations were never exactly pleasant. With Adam it was different. Kurt felt he could be himself, and Adam wouldn't judge him. The feeling was amazing.

Looking into Adam's eyes, Kurt suddenly noticed a certain... _heat_ in them. Adam's smile had softened, and there was a look on his face as he held Kurt's gaze that made that fluttering sensation from before fill Kurt's chest again, only this time much more intense, and he became aware of a strong, warm ache in his heart that was almost frightening.

Tearing his eyes away, Kurt turned to the next drawing, which was much less risqué: a pretty, smiling girl with a rose in her hair.

“This is Mercedes Jones,” Adam said. “A singer I met in Paris. Remarkable voice. Absolutely magical. I could listen to her for hours.”

Kurt sadly studied the drawing.

“I've always loved to sing. It's been my dream ever since I was little, when my father took me to a show for the first time, to stand on a stage in front of an audience and just... sing. If I were my own man, that's what I'd do with my life.”

Adam looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't.

“I bet you're really good,” he said after a moment's silence. “Maybe you'll let me hear you sometime. You can make it my reward for saving you,” he said, playfully nudging Kurt's shoulder.

“Maybe...” Kurt smiled. Closing the portfolio, he handed it back to Adam.”Thank you for showing me these, Adam. You have a gift. You really _see_ people.”

“I see you, Kurt,” Adam said softly.

“And...?” Kurt asked, that fluttering in chest spreading to his stomach.

“You wouldn't have jumped,” was Adam's soft reply.

Kurt was silent for a moment.

“No... I wouldn't have.”

They walked around the deck a while longer, Adam telling Kurt about his life growing up. He was twenty-two, and like Kurt, Adam was an orphan and had been on his own since he was fifteen. He had traveled around Europe, working odd jobs and drawing portraits to get by.

“Once I survived by eating apples for a whole week straight. People started calling me Adam Apple,” Adam laughed. Kurt laughed as well, looking out towards the sea.

“You've had a rich, full life, Adam Apple. I really jealous, actually.” He sighed. “I wish I could go with you on your adventures when we get to New York.”

“Well, you could!” Adam said brightly. “We'll have the time of our lives! I'll draw, you'll perform on Broadway. We'll go to seedy bars and dance till our legs fall off. We'll spit off the Brooklyn Bridge!”  
Kurt arched on eyebrow.

“ _Spit_...?”

“Yes, spit! Don't look so scandalized!” Adam laughed. “Didn't you ever do things like that as a child?”

“No...!”

“Oh, Kurt... You _have_ been missing out on the finer things in life,” Adam said, shaking his head sadly. “Everyone should spit off something at least once. We'll make up for that right now.”

Grabbing Kurt's arm, he pulled the other man over to the railing.

“Adam, no!” Kurt said, giggling. “I'm not gonna spit off the railing!”

“Yes, you are! Come on now, just like this,” Adam said, sending a wad of spit fly out into the sea.

“Oh, that disgusting!” Kurt laughed.

“That's the idea. Now you do it.”

“Fine.”

With a little “ _tui!_ ”, Kurt spat over the side. Adam clucked his tongue.

“That was pitiful! Come on, do it properly, pull some air into your lungs, hawk back the spit...”

“...Adam...”

“...lean back and release it like...”

“ _Adam_!”

Kurt was nudging his arm. Turning around, he saw three women staring at them, the older of the three with a decidedly disapproving expression, the other two looking as if they were holding back laughter. The dark-haired woman discreetly indicated to Adam that he had spit on his chin, which he quickly wiped off with his sleeve.

“Uhm... Adam this is my stepmother Judy and my stepsister Quinn, and ms Santana Lopez. Ladies, this is mr Adam Crawford.”

“Charmed, I'm sure,” Judy said, looking at Adam with an expression of distaste, then hissed “Quinn...!”, as Quinn stepped forward and placed a kiss on Adam's cheek.

“He saved Kurt's life, mother.” She smiled at Adam. “Thank you.”

“Don't mention it,” he said, smiling back at her.

Quinn was about to speak again, when a crew member stepped out and signaled with a trumpet that it was time for dinner.

“Come along, children, we have to get ready for dinner,” Judy said to Kurt and Quinn, marching off.

“Adam, don't forget you were going to join us at dinner, “ Kurt said, turning to Adam.

“Of course. Wouldn't miss it.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Okay. Wait, what are you going to wear?”

Adam looked down at the clothes he was wearing.

“Oh... I should lend you something formal... but I don't think my clothes will fit you. What are we going to do?” Kurt fussed.

“Don't worry, Hummel,” Santana said. “I think I can help him out.”

“Really? Oh, thank you so much! I'll see you at dinner, Adam!” Kurt called out, hurrying after Quinn and his stepmother. Adam followed him with his eyes until he was out of sight.

“Come on,” Santana said, grabbing Adam's arm. “I have a formal suit I had made as a present for my cousin, from the finest tailor in London. It should fit you. You can have it for tonight, so I can enjoy the look on Judy's face when she sees you.” She was silent for a moment. “You do realize what you're doing?”

“I don't know, what am I doing?” Adam asked.

“Not only are about to walk barefoot into a snake pit, but Hummel... You like him, don't you? Then you should know that ass Sebastian Smythe is very possessive, and I know for a fact that manservant of his is armed. If Sebastian even suspects that you're interested in Hummel he might give orders for your balls to be blown off.”

Adam looked at her.

“I thought he was engaged to Kurt's sister.”

“He is. But there's more to the story. Trust me. I have a sixth sense when it comes to these things.”

They walked on in silence for a few moments, then Adam said:

“I think Kurt might be worth risking my balls for.”

Santana smiled.

“I can tell you and I are gonna get along just fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was chapter 3. I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. There _might_ be some sexy times next chapter. You'll have to read to find out... *wink, wink*


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 4! Thank's to everyone who's been reading so far! Hope you enjoy. Some sexy times in this chapter. I'm not sure if it's too explicit for an M rating. If you think so, let me know in the comments and I will change the rating to E.
> 
>  
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee and Titanic_

Adam walked down the grand staircase beside Santana, expecting at any moment to be approached and told to leave. Still, with the way he was currently dressed, no one seemed to question his right to be there. The man who had opened the door for him and Santana when they arrived had called him “sir”. _Sir_! No one had ever called him that in his entire life.

The clothes Santana had lent him fit well, but the high collar of his shirt was stiff with starch, and he had to keep reminding himself not to tug at the bowtie with his fingers. His hair was neatly combed and now lay flat against his head, instead of being in its usual messy state. It all felt very strange and uncomfortable, but he was looking forward to spending more time with Kurt, and Santana had proven to be a fun new acquaintance. Besides, seeing how the other half lived would be interesting.

“Don't worry about saying or doing the wrong thing,” Santana told him. “Even if you make a complete ass of yourself, you'll never have to see any of them after tonight anyway. And trust me, you're lucky. The worst thing about being rich is that you have to associate with rich people. Make sure you get yourself a drink as soon as possible, or you'll risk dying of boredom.”

They waited at the foot of the staircase. Soon Sebastian appeared, escorting Quinn and her mother by the arm. They didn't appear to recognize Adam, walking right past him to speak to Santana. Adam happened glance up, and saw Kurt descending the staircase. He looked fantastic as always, those remarkably beautiful eyes of his fixed on Adam, a delighted little smile playing about his lips.

“Why, Adam Apple,” he said as he reached the bottom of the staircase. “I must say you look very handsome this evening.”

“Why, thank you very much, Kurt Hummel. Permit me to respond in kind,” Adam said, winking at him and bowing with a flourish. Kurt laughed softly and led Adam over to their company.

“Sebastian, Quinn, Ju... I mean _mother_ , you remember mr Adam Crawford, don't you?”

Sebastian's trademark smirk faltered for just a moment as he finally recognized Adam. Quinn stared at him with an impressed smile.

“Oh my, you look very nice! I apologize, I didn't recognize you at first.”

“Don't worry about it. And thank you.”

“I lent him something to wear. What do you think, Sebastian? Doesn't he look absolutely _dreamy_?” Santana asked silkily.

“Quite the transformation,” Sebastian replied, narrowing his eyes. “You could almost pass for a gentleman.”

Kurt and Quinn glared at Sebastian. However, if the barb had wounded Adam in the slightest, he didn't show it; he just smiled at Sebastian, calmly replying:

“Almost.”

“Lucky I happened to have some clothes he could wear, don't you agree? You wouldn't want Kurt's savior the feel _out of place_ , now would you, Sebastian?” Santana said, smiling evilly. Sebastian didn't answer. He took the arms of the ladies and led them into the drawing room.

Kurt smiled apologetically at Adam.

“I'm sorry. If Sebastian or Judy says something else rude – and they probably will – try not to let them bother you.”

“Don't worry,” Adam with a reassuring smile. “I don't care what they think of me.”

They moved into the dining room, Kurt pointing out people here and there for Adam, naming countesses and prominent businessmen. Adam felt he would never be able to keep track of everyone's names.

Adam himself drew several appreciative stares as they moved across the room, and Kurt was repeatedly asked to make introductions.

“Crawford, eh?” boomed an elderly gentleman when he was introduced to Adam. “I became somewhat acquainted with an Admiral James Crawford once when I was in London on business. You wouldn't happen to be one of his sons, would you?”

“I'm not, as far as I know, but I hear the good Admiral has left bastards in his wake all over Britain, so I suppose it's possible,” Adam said pleasantly. Quinn stifled a giggle and Santana laughed openly as the old gentleman frowned his forehead in confusion. Kurt quickly made their excuses and steered Adam towards their table.

As Kurt had feared, it soon became obvious that neither Judy nor Sebastian had any intention of letting the dinner go by painlessly. They had barely settled down at the table before Judy turned an icy smile at Adam and said:

“Mr Crawford, do tell us how you find the accommodations in third class. I hear they're quite excellent.”

“That they are, madam,” Adam said, smiling. “I haven't seen a single rat yet.”

Everyone at the table laughed.

“Mr Crawford is traveling third class,” Sebastian said. “I invited him to join us since he was of some assistance to my brother-in-law last night.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. Assistance... an understatement.

“I took a turn with mr Crawford about the deck before,” he said, deciding to change the subject, “and I was delighted to discover that he's quite the artist. He showed me some of his work – remarkably fine pieces.”

The company at the table expressed some mild interest.

“Well, Kurt and I have never quite agreed on the definition of... fine art,” Sebastian said venomously. “...though I'm sure that wouldn't be the case this time.”

“And what do you do when you're not traveling?” Judy asked, her eyes growing darker by the minute.

“Whatever suits my fancy,” Adam said. “I go wherever destiny takes me.”

“You enjoy such an aimless existence?”

“Very much so, ma'am. I can support myself by taking jobs where I find them and through drawing. That pays for the bare necessities, and that's all I need. My ticket for this trip, though, was acquired through a lucky hand in poker. A _very_ lucky hand,” Adam added, glancing at Kurt. “Life is short,” he continued holding out his glass for a waiter that was supplying their table with champagne, “and I want to be able to enjoy and see as much of the world as I can, while I still can. I'm not about to waste one single day, I want to make every last one count.”

“Bravo!” said mr Schuester.

“I'll drink to that,” nodded Santana.

Kurt held up his glass.

“To making it count.”

Everyone made the toast. With the exception of Judy and Sebastian, Adam had within the space of about fifteen minutes managed to charm the entire table.

“ _He's amazing._ Kurt thought to himself as he looked at Adam, sometimes confused by the silverware or the food offered, but never losing his cool for a second.

 _"I've never met anyone like him_.”

Kurt had certainly known other boys before where the attraction had been quite strong: Sam, the stable boy at the country residence of an acquaintance he'd visited with for two weeks. Senator Anderson's youngest son. But none of those brief infatuations could even compare with what he'd come to feel for Adam in the few hours he'd known him. He had never, ever wanted another man this much before. And those feelings were dangerous, because of Sebastian. But Kurt didn't even want to think about that, and decided, in the spirit of their toast, to enjoy Adam's company for as long as he could.

After the last course was finished, Santana had grown bored with empty chatter and the endless boasting of mr Remington and mr Schuester, and had started amusing herself by telling raunchy jokes that made most of the company blush. The gentlemen soon rose from their seats, and Kurt inwardly groaned, as this meant they were headed for the smoking room. This was always the worst part of Kurt's day; sitting in a thick mist of cigar-smoke while listening to tedious business discussions wasn't his idea of a good time, and he excused himself from it as often as he could, using fatigue as an excuse, or claiming that their cigars gave him a headache (which was in fact true). After Kurt had made his excuses this time, the men invited Adam to join them, but he declined:

“Thank you, but it's time for me to head back.”

  
Sebastian thanked Adam for coming, then said something to him in a low voice – no doubt another thinly veiled insult. As soon as Sebastian had left, Kurt rose. He didn't want Adam to go so soon.

“Must you leave?”

“I'm afraid so ...but that doesn't necessarily mean the night is over,” Adam whispered. “Meet me under the clock at the grand staircase. Bring Quinn and Santana, if you want.”

“What are we going to do?”

Adam smiled widely, his eyes glittering.

“You'll see.”

After Adam had left, Kurt waited a few moments until Judy became engrossed in gossip with a group of older ladies, then collected Quinn and Santana and carefully snuck out of the dining hall.

“Are we making a break for it?” Santana asked. “Thank god, I couldn't stand being in that room one moment longer.”

They found Adam waiting under the clock as promised.

“Kurt... ladies... it was most kind of you to invite me this evening. It's only fair that I repay the favor.”

“Where are we going?” Quinn asked.

Adam's eyes met Kurt's.

“I'm taking you to a _real_ party.”

*

The area set aside for the third class passengers to use for their enjoyment was a whole other world from the stiff first class dining hall. Kurt could barely believe he was still on the same ship. The room was filled with the sound of lively music, laughter and clapping hands. Everyone was dancing and cheering, enjoying themselves to the fullest.

Kurt and Adam were sitting down, resting their feet who were tired from dancing almost non stop since their arrival. When Adam had pulled him onto the dancefloor, he had nervously told Adam he didn't know the steps. Adam had laughed, and said:

“Neither do I! In fact, I don't think anyone here does! Just improvise!”

So he had, and they had danced several songs in a row, giddy and smiling.

At the moment Quinn was on the dancefloor with Puck, smiling and not seeming to care in the least that her carefully arranged hairdo was in disarray. Santana was sitting with a small girl in her lap. When she had entered the room the little one had stared at her open-mouthed in awe and asked if she was a princess. Santana had smiled saying “Yes... I am”, and then made the girl's night by placing her own silver barrette in the child's curls. They were now laughing and clapping together while watching the dancers. Adam had taken off his jacket, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and unbuttoned the top buttons, revealing a small section of chest which Kurt found terribly distracting. His hair had become messed up again, and looking at him now, Kurt felt he was much more handsome this way. He had looked gorgeous all dressed up, but casual like this was much, much better. It was more _Adam_.

Close by Finn was groaning and rubbing the muscles in his arm, which were sore from having been bested in a game of arm wrestling by a large woman, who was now in the process of defeating a huge Irishman.

“My win. Pay up,” the woman said as everyone applauded.

“That's amazing,” Adam laughed, clapping.

“Thanks, punkin',” the woman said, turning a radiant smile on him. “Feel like giving it a try?”

Adam held up his hands.

“No thank you, miss Beiste. I'm not that crazy. I don't want to end up like _that_ ,” he said, nodding at Finn, who sighed and massaged his painful bicep.

When most people seemed to grow tired of dancing, part of the crowd gathered by the piano to hear Rachel sing “Frankie and Johnny”. When he'd been introduced to Adam's friends, Kurt had thought Rachel's personality was more than a little grating, but he had to admit now as he listened to her: she could sing. After having performed a second time with “Let Me Call You Sweetheart”, Rachel apparently felt generous enough to let someone else be the center of attention for a moment. Looking around, her eyes fell on Kurt.

“Kurt!” she said, running over to the corner where he and Adam were sitting. “Would you like to sing something for us?”

“Wonderful idea, Rachel!” Adam said, as he stood and pulled Kurt to his feet, leading him towards the piano. “You still owe me a song, Kurt. Remember?”

Kurt smiled and felt a happy thrill inside as he looked around the room, seeing many faces turned towards him. He so rarely got the chance to sing in front of others like this.

Standing by the piano, he made instructions to the piano player, cleared his throat softly, and began to sing:

 

_The ballroom was filled with fashion's throng,_  
 _It shone with a thousand lights,_  
 _And there was a woman who passed along,_  
 _The fairest of all the sights,_  
 _A girl to her lover then softly sighed,_  
 _There's riches at her command;_  
 _But she married for wealth, not for love, he cried,_  
 _Though she lives in a mansion grand._

_CHORUS :_  
 _She's only a bird in a gilded cage,_  
 _A beautiful sight to see,_  
 _You may think she's happy and free from care,_  
 _She's not, though she seems to be,_  
 _'Tis sad when you think of her wasted life,_  
 _For youth cannot mate with age,_  
 _And her beauty was sold,_  
 _For an old man's gold,_  
 _She's a bird in a gilded cage._

_I stood in a churchyard just at eve,_  
 _When sunset adorned the west,_  
 _And looked at the people who'd come to grieve,_  
 _For loved ones now laid at rest,_  
 _A tall marble monument marked the grave,_  
 _Of one who'd been fashion's queen,_  
 _And I thought she is happier here at rest,_  
 _Than to have people say when seen._

_REPEAT CHORUS_

As Kurt sang, his eyes found Adam, and Kurt kept looking at him throughout the song. Adam was staring at him as if mesmerized.

When the last chorus was over and the piano player stopped playing, almost the entire room was silent, then suddenly broke out into violent applause. People flocked around Kurt, wiping tears from their eyes as they praised his performance.

“Oh, Kurt!” Rachel said eagerly. “That was just remarkable! Why, you're as good as _me_!”

Kurt assumed that coming from her, that was meant as a huge compliment, and thanked her.

As the people around Kurt cleared off and Rachel once more got ready to sing, Adam came up to Kurt and pulled him aside to a more secluded corner.

“Kurt... that was... that was breathtaking.”

“ _Everything about you is breathtaking_ ,” Adam thought.

Kurt smiled, his heart doing flipflops as Adam reached over and took his hand in his own.

“You were born to sing, Kurt,” Adam said, meeting Kurt's eyes. Kurt swallowed against a lump in his throat, feeling moisture pooling in his eyes.

“Thank you,” he whispered with trembling lips.

Adam slowly shook his head.

“No Kurt... thank _you_.”

*

It was late, with barely anyone around as Adam walked Kurt back to his suite. They had stayed at the party below deck for as long as possible. Quinn and Santana had left when they grew tired, but Kurt had enjoyed himself far too much to want the night to end. He felt he had gotten a glimpse of a world that should have been his – that it had always been meant for him, and that he had been born into the world he was now living by some horrible mistake.

At long last, the party had broken up – everyone had either left or fallen asleep where they sat in a drunken, happy stupor, and Kurt felt he could no longer stay. Adam had offered to follow him back, and Kurt accepted, grateful for even a few more minutes in Adam's company. They walked in silence; Adam seemed to feel just like Kurt that the night had gone by far too fast.

“Here we are,” Kurt said sadly as they reached his door. Adam nodded, smiling weakly. Kurt wanted to say something, tell Adam how much tonight had meant to him, but he couldn't find the words.

“Well... goodnight, then,” Adam said.

Kurt nodded.

“Goodnight.”

Adam slowly began walking away. Kurt watched him go, his heart painfully constricting in his chest.

“Wait!” he called out, making Adam turn. “Don't go,” Kurt said softly.

Adam closed the distance between them in three strides. Reaching out for Kurt, Adam cupped his face in his hands and pressed their lips together.

For a few heartbeats, the kiss was tender, their mouths moving softly against each other, but it soon grew eager, almost desperate. Kurt threw one arm around Adam's neck as Adam backed them up against the door, while he reached behind himself with the other, groping around for the doorknob. He managed to get the door open, grabbed Adam by the suspenders and pulled him inside the room, door slamming shut behind them.

Inside, Adam pushed Kurt back up against the door, pressing his body against the other man's. Kurt moaned softly, parting his lips to allow Adam inside his mouth as his hands roamed over Adam's back. Adam's lips left Kurt's to move over the skin on Kurt's neck. Gasping for air, Kurt became aware that he could feel Adam growing against him. Biting his bottom lip, Kurt hooked his leg over Adam's thigh and pulled him closer against his own growing arousal, feeling that Adam could be never get close enough. Taking Adam's face in his hands Kurt merged their lips back together, making Adam moan as he sucked on his tongue.

“Adam... bed...” Kurt panted, pressing quick kisses against reddened lips.

“God, yes...”

Without taking their hands off each other, they awkwardly stumbled over towards the bed. Kurt fell backwards over the bed, Adam lowering himself down over Kurt, unbuttoning his shirt, trailing kisses over his collarbones.

“ _Yes... like this.. just like this..._ ” Kurt thought as he felt the weight of Adam's body on top of him.

Adam's hands were clumsily working at ridding Kurt of his clothes. Kurt sat up a little, and began pulling at Adam's clothes, not even caring when his own fine Parisian garments wound up in a pile on the floor, which would leave dreadful wrinkles.

Once their clothes were off, and they finally saw each other fully revealed, the frantic pace slowed, and for a few moments they just sat and looked. Kurt's eyes roamed over the golden skin at Adam's chest, the strong arms, the blood-filled flesh between his legs. Adam took in Kurt's smooth, pale skin, his flat stomach, the fine trail of hair leading down to his hardness.

Neither of them needed to say how beautiful they thought the other was... it was more than clear from the way they looked at each other. Kurt laid back down, pulling Adam on top of him. They slowly kissed; Adam's hand, roughened from hard labor, caressed Kurt's hip, then Kurt gasped as Adam took him in his hand.

Kurt felt like he'd been waiting for this night his whole life. He'd never been touched by another like this. He'd kissed another boy _once_ – not counting the unwanted touches Sebastian bestowed upon him – but never like this. And he wanted it so much, all of it, with Adam.

Adam peppered kisses all over Kurt's chest, sometimes doing wonderfully sinful things with his tongue. Hand trembling, but without hesitation, Kurt reached down and wrapped his hand around Adam, and felt a warm puff of air against his skin as Adam softly gasped.

Adam's fingers teased the skin at Kurt's opening.

“Is this okay?”

“Yes,” Kurt whispered, nodding. “I want this.”

Something was needed to ease the entry of Adam's fingers. Kurt suggested the salve he sometimes used for his hands. It was expensive, but he didn't care. It was for a worthy cause.

Adam gently worked him open with slickened fingers, kissing him and caressing his sides until he was ready.

Easing a pillow underneath Kurt, Adam positioned himself between Kurt's thighs. Lacing their fingers together, Adam slowly slid inside Kurt, carefully watching for signs of discomfort, but Kurt felt no pain at all. The sensation of welcoming another inside his body, to be so intimately connected to each other... it was the most wonderful thing he'd ever felt in his entire life.

Fully inside, Adam forced back his own burning desire to move, and waited for Kurt's body to adjust, kissing Kurt's neck and nibbling at his earlobe, enjoying the sensation of Kurt's long fingers combing through his hair. He moved his hips experimentally, and was rewarded with a delighted moan. Kurt nodded, indicating to Adam that he was ready.

Adam moved, slowly, looking into Kurt's eyes. A long moan and Kurt's fingers tightening against his indicated that he had found the right angle. He moved at a quicker pace, gasping as Kurt pulled him down and kissed him hard. The frantic pace from before resurfaced; Kurt wrapped his legs around Adam, digging his fingers into Adam's shoulders as Adam moved within him, sending gradually increasing waves of intense heat through his body. Sweat was beading on their skin, and the sound of flesh against flesh was so _scandalous_. Kurt bit his lip, holding back his moans. Adam was kissing his forehead, gasping for air as he pushed his hip against Kurt's. Their pace began to grow erratic, hurried; Kurt whimpered, wrapping his arms around Adam, pulling him closer.

“Oh, _Kurt..._ ”

The sound of his name spilling from Adam's lips in a trembling whisper was what triggered Kurt's release. He almost sobbed as he came, tightening his embrace around Adam, and he could feel the other spilling inside him, breathing Kurt's name over and over.

Afterwards, they lay together in Kurt's bed, wrapped around each other, softly kissing. Sleep was slowly creeping up on them. Kurt kissed Adam one last time, then settled down in his arms, resting his head on Adam's shoulder.

“Adam...?” he said as his eyelids grew heavy.

“Hmh...?”

“Tonight was the best night of my life.”

There was a moment of silence. Kurt thought Adam had fallen asleep, but then, softly came Adam's reply:

“Mine too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was chapter 4. As we all know, Jack and Rose didn't do anything until the famous car scene, but I wanted to change it up a little, and so I added this scene. Of course, the portrait scene and the car scene will still be included... It was fun looking for a songs to be used in this chapter. I had no idea “Frankie and Johnny” dated that far back! The source for the lyrics to “A Bird in a Gilded Cage” is Wikipedia. I'll try to get the next chapter out a.s.a.p. as always, but there may be some delay, since I have sadly been neglecting my studies. It was worth it, however. Until next time!  
> 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 5. Hope you will enjoy! Thanks to everyone who's been reading. You're awesome!
> 
>  
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee or Titanic._

Kurt was vaguely aware of the loss of the warm body beside him, followed by faint rustling of fabric. After a few minutes, fingers were gently brushing aside hair from his forehead, moving down to caress his cheek.

“Kurt...? Wake up.”

Blinking heavy eyelids, Kurt squinted to focus his sleepy eyes, and saw Adam sitting fully dressed by the side of the bed.

“ _Oh... right. That thing that happened..._ ”

Kurt felt his lips spreading into a smile, which Adam returned.

“What time is it?” Kurt asked.

“It's very early. I wanted to wake you because I think it's best if I head back for now, but I would really like to see you later if you want to.”

Kurt's smile widened. 

“I do. I'll try my best to get away later.”

“Good,” Adam grinned. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss against Kurt's lips. Moving towards the door, he turned for a last look, then left, quietly shutting the door behind him.

With a giddy giggle, Kurt pulled the blanket up to his nose, blissfully remembering everything that had happened the day before: the walk along the deck, the dinner, the party below deck, singing in front of everyone... and losing his virginity. That had certainly been the high point of the day. It had been everything he'd ever hoped for, and not at all like he'd feared it was going to be. His smile turned wicked as he thought of Sebastian.

“ _That's one thing you can never take from me, at least_.”  
Then his smile faded along with the last bit of lingering sleepiness. He had completely forgot about Sebastian. Remembering Sebastian's request the night Adam saved his life, Kurt realized that Sebastian must have been expecting him to come to his suite last night. What had he thought when Kurt didn't show up? Why hadn't he come looking for Kurt? 

Kurt sat up with a start. _Had_ Sebastian come looking for him? Or perhaps sent Hunter? Had they seen Kurt at the party below deck? Had they seen Adam following him to his door, and the kisses that followed? Had they seen Adam following Kurt into his room and not coming back out? But then they would have done something, wouldn't they? They would have kicked down Kurt's door and Sebastian would have ordered Hunter to beat Adam to a pulp – or try to, since Kurt had no doubt that Adam was more that capable of defending himself against the likes of Hunter.

Kurt relaxed back into the pillows. Perhaps Sebastian had gotten drunk in the smoking room last night and never even noticed when Kurt didn't show up. Either way, he was sure he would find out at breakfast, and he would have to deal with it then. What was more important was that he needed to figure out what to do about Sebastian. Because after everything that had happened yesterday, he was more certain than ever that living out the rest of his life with Sebastian would be next to impossible. That little taste of freedom he had gotten last night had made him crave it more than ever. And then there was Adam to think about: he wanted to be with Adam. When the ship docked at New York, would he really be able to let Adam walk out of his life? Kurt felt his heart clench painfully at the thought of never seeing Adam again. He couldn't let that happen. But there was also Quinn to think about. What would become of her if Kurt ran away from Sebastian?

“ _Perhaps she would be okay..._ ” Kurt thought, biting his lip. But then, like always when he thought of running, a memory flashed before his eyes of himself lying with his head in Quinn's lap, sobbing with grief over his father, and her thin fingers gently, slowly, without stopping for a second, stroking his hair. If Sebastian broke off the engagement, Quinn and her mother would be destitute. And then there was Quinn's college tuition...

Groaning, Kurt pressed his hands against his face. He couldn't abandon Adam, but he couldn't abandon Quinn either. What the hell was going to do?

“ _I'll just have to talk to Quinn later_ ,” he thought. Sighing, he threw back the covers and got up to get ready for breakfast.

*

It was still early when Kurt entered their private promenade space where their breakfast was served, but Sebastian was already seated by the the table. He looked refreshed and awake. 

“ _So he didn't get drunk last night_ ,” Kurt thought as he approached the table and sat down. He was served coffee, juice, toast and fresh fruit by the man attending them. Once Kurt had been served, Sebastian dismissed the man. He sat for a few minutes staring at Kurt, smiling in a deceptively pleasant way. Kurt slowly sipped his coffee without looking up at Sebastian. The silence lay thick between them for several minutes more, before Sebastian finally spoke.

“Didn't I ask you to spend the night with me last night? I could have sworn I did.”

Kurt took another sip of his coffee.

“I was tired.”

Sebastian lightly drummed his fingers against the table.

“No doubt from your rowdy evening below deck.”

So Sebastian did know. But the question was how much?

“I asked Hunter to see where you were last night when you didn't come. Imagine my surprise when I'm told that you were below deck, drinking and dancing with scum and riffraff.”

Sebastian placed his cup on its saucer.

“Believe me, Kurt, it was very tempting to have you dragged out of there by your precious hair, but rather than making a scene I decided to wait until morning to discuss it with you. So we are going to discuss it... _now_.” The last word was spoken in a rather dark tone of voice that Kurt wasn't used to hearing from Sebastian, who was usually sarcastic or mocking. Kurt guessed that Sebastian probably didn't know that Adam had spent the night with him, but that tone made him nervous.

“I can't believe you actually sent out Hunter to check up on me,” he sighed, letting his voice sound mildly annoyed and nonchalant.

“I protect my investments,” Sebastian said, still in that menacing tone. Kurt bristled.

“You know, you keep saying you love me, but you treat me like an object. I am not your _possession_ , Sebastian!”

Sebastian looked into Kurt's eyes with an icy stare.

“Don't delude yourself, Kurt. My possession is just what you are, and nothing else.” A stiff smile appeared on his face. “Who do you think you're talking to, exactly? Do you understand what's going to happen if you keep making a fool of me?”

Sebastian leaned forward a little over the table, still staring into Kurt's eyes.

“I'll ruin you. Not just you, but also Quinn and Judy. I'll drag your family's good name so deeply through the filth that no one will ever want to even be in the same room with you. And believe me, I can make it happen. No man will ever want anything to do with Quinn ever again. Then of course, there's the money. I don't think you realize how deeply in debt you are. That stupid bitch Judy has thrown away all your father's – _and_ her first husband's money. If you abandon me Kurt, your family will be destitute. You will have less than nothing. You will end up in the slums. At best, Quinn will have to take up work as a maid. Won't that be a shame? Such a bright, talented, _intelligent_ girl, having her dreams of college traded in for an apron and a feather duster, and all because you were too damn stubborn to give me what I wanted.”

Sebastian took a bite from a piece of toast, crunching loudly. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he stood and walked away from the table,

“I suggest you give that some thought,” he tossed over his shoulder without turning around.

Kurt remained by the breakfast table alone, staring at the wall, his breakfast forgotten.

*

When Kurt had left the breakfast table, Quinn and Judy had not yet arrived. Quinn had been a bit tipsy when she left the party with Santana last night, so she was probably sleeping off a slight hangover. Judy was usually an early riser, however, so he was surprised she didn't show up bright and early. But when she stormed into his suite, he could tell she'd been informed of last nights escapade, and he guessed she'd probably been too furious to be in the same room with him during breakfast.

He remained silent as she dramatically paced back and forth, waiting for her tear into him.

“What do you think you're doing?” she hissed after a while. “How _dare_ you...” she took a deep breath. “Kurt, don't you understand that Sebastian Smythe is all we have? If it was just you, you could do as you please. But it's not. When you do what you did last night, you put both me and Quinn at risk.”

She clenched her hands into tight fists.

“You will never do anything like that again, Kurt. Do you hear me? And you will go to Sebastian tonight and you will make sure he's happy. You owe me this, Kurt.”

“Why?!” Kurt shouted at her, his defensiveness rising to the surface at her words. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was silenced as her palm delivered a hard slap on his cheek.

“You _owe_ me...” she hissed, “...because even after I knew what you were – after I became aware of your wicked _sickness_ , I still allowed you to stay in my home. Even after your father passed, I let you remain in my home, in spite of your sinful desires. And believe me, it wasn't easy. Every day I cringed at your presence, and I so very much wanted to turn you away. But I didn't. Out of respect for your good father, and because my poor Quinnie loves you so much. And this is how you pay me back?”

She shook her head.

“I don't understand you. Through this arrangement our family is saved. We will never have to worry about money ever again. And _you_...” her lips curled with disgust. “...you will get to indulge in your vices. I don't see what you possibly could have to complain about.”

Kurt stared at her, mout open and hand pressed against his stinging cheek, shocked at her hateful tirade. He knew she had never liked him, despised him even. But he had never expected her to say such things as these. He could barely say a word in response.

“I don't love him,” he finally got out, his voice weak and broken.

“What do your kind know of love?” she said, her voice dripping with contempt.

She paced again.

“We have nothing left, Kurt. If the engagement is broken off, I would have to auction off everything we own. Our things, our home... your _father's_ home. We will have to work. My lovely daughter will ruin her knees scouring floors of families lesser than ours. All her beauty and promise will go to waste.”

She turned to Kurt with tears in her eyes.

“Is that what you want for us, just so you can _rebel_?” She stalked towards the door. “I knew you were sinful, but I didn't know you were selfish,” she spat, slamming the door behind her.

*

The wonderful feeling Kurt had woken up with had all but evaporated. He had tried not to listen to Sebastian's threats or Judy's condemnation, but their words about Quinn had begun to take effect, and he suddenly felt horrible for having considered sacrificing her dreams so he could pursue his own. It wasn't right. He couldn't do that to her. Quinn would go to college, like she'd always wanted. He would make sure of it. But the mere thought of what it would cost him broke his heart, and he stayed in his suite for several hours quietly mourning the life that had been so close, so very close, and now it was out of his reach.

Once his tears had dried out and he felt he was fit to be seen, he left the suite and joined his family. Neither Judy nor Sebastian acted as if they had any recollection whatsoever of the morning's events. Quinn, on the other hand, turned a searching look on him. Kurt pretended not to notice, and joined them for their walk with the Captain and mr Schuester, who had promised to give them a tour around the ship. They were walking through the Boat Deck when a crew member arrived to inform the Captain that a warning for icebergs had been received.

“Don't worry,” the Captain said cheerfully as the man scurried off. “We are on the safest ship that ever was built. We will arrive in New York without the slightest difficulty; you have my word. In fact, I've ordered for more speed.”

In spite of the Captain's words, Kurt could not surpress a sense of unease as they were led through the Boat Deck, listening to mr Schuester listing the ship's features.

“Mr Schuester, if I may,” he interrupted. “You said there were twenty lifeboats, correct? Well, with the ship's capacity, it doesn't seem that there are enough to accommodate everyone.”

Mr Schuester nodded gravely.

“You noticed that, did you? With our current number of passengers I'd say there are enough for about half. And that's without counting the crew.”

Kurt and Quinn stared. He sighed and ran a hand through his thick curls.

“To tell you the truth, I designed the ship so that there would be room for more lifeboats, but my suggestions were overruled. There were some who felt the deck would look cluttered... and that it would spoil the view.”

“They're wasting good space as it is, on an unsinkable ship,” Sebastian said, nudging a lifeboat with his foot and kept walking.

Kurt had some misgivings as he looked at the lifeboats. He had never bought into the belief that the Titanic was unsinkable, as many others seemed to. She was man-made, and men made mistakes. And if something did happen... the loss of life would be staggering.

“Don't worry,” mr Schuester smiled. “I designed a strong ship for you. Everything will be fine.”

He led them on, suggesting they'd view the engine room. Kurt lagged behind, still contemplating what he'd learned, when he felt a hand grabbing his own. Looking up, he saw it was Adam, smiling mischievously. Adam pulled him aside into a vacant room which turned out to be the gymnasium. Once inside, Adam kissed him softly, a little satisfied moan vibrating inside his throat.

“I've been aching to see you ever since this morning,” he said, resting his forehead against Kurt.

Kurt pulled away, a horrible tightness tugging at his heart.

“What's wrong?” Adam asked, smile fading.

“Adam,” he said, swallowing against a lump in his throat. “I can't see you anymore.”

Saying those words made Kurt want to throw up. He could barely look Adam in the face. Adam was silent for a few moments before he spoke.

“What did they do, Kurt? Did Sebastian or your stepmother say something to you? They must have. You were so happy this morning, and now...”

“You don't understand!” Kurt said pleadingly. “Sebastian... it's not Quinn he wants, it's me.”

“I know,” Adam said softly. Kurt looked up, surprise evident on his face.

“You do?”

Adam nodded.

“Santana told me. She has a sixth sense about these things. Besides, I could tell by the way he acted around you. He acts like he owns you,” Adam said, an angry frown appearing between his eyebrows. “But Kurt, that doesn't mean that you can't break free from him.”

“Yes it does!” Kurt said, voice laced with frustration. “He's using my sister to keep me in chains. Our family is deep in debt. Sebastian has promised to take care of her, and pay for her college education, as long as I give him what he wants. That's the only reason he's marrying her! To bind me to him.”

“Does she know?”

Kurt nodded.

“She knows.” He glanced up at Adam. “I can't let her down, Adam. When my father died it almost destroyed me. She was the only one who was there for me.” Kurt took a deep breath to hold back his tears. “I can't risk her future. What happened between us means more to me that you will ever know. And I so very much want to do all those things you said we'd do. But I can't.”

“Yes, you can. Listen to me, please, Kurt,” Adam said as Kurt began shaking his head. “I understand that you want to take care of your sister, and I respect and admire you for that. But if she really loves you she will not want you to do this. Kurt, how long do you think you will last living with that man? How long will you be able to stand it? And what's going to happen to you when he eventually gets tired of you? Because he will, Kurt. I know the type. Kurt, you can do this. And I'm going to help you. But you have to help yourself first.”

Kurt closed his eyes, shaking his head again.

“I can't. I'm so sorry. I can't.”

And with that he ran off, leaving Adam alone.

*

Kurt was stretched out on his bed, eyes fixed at the ceiling when the door opened and Quinn and Santana entered.

“What do you two want?” Kurt asked, sitting up.

“We want to know why you're in here feeling sorry for yourself when somewhere on this ship there's a gorgeous British man waiting for you,” Santana said sternly, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Santana, you don't understand,” Kurt began, but Quinn interrupted him.

“Yes, she does. I explained everything to her. Look, Kurt...” she sat down. “I should have talked to you about this earlier. But to tell you the truth, I've been afraid and selfish. I was afraid of what would happen if our family lost everything. And I...” she looked down at her hands, folded in her lap. “I really, _really_ wanted to go to college. But I can't ask you to go through with this. I can't ask you to give up everything for me, and I never should have let mother agree to Sebastian's proposition in the first place. I'm so sorry, Kurt,” she said, taking his hand. “Last night you were happier than I've ever seen you. Ever. And that song... I know you didn't choose it at random. I know what you were trying to say. And now I'm saying that you don't have to take me into consideration when you decide what you're going to do.”

“But, but...” Kurt sputtered. “... the money... and Sebastian said...”

“There are worse things than being poor, Kurt,” Quinn said. “I understand that, now. And I don't care what Sebastian said, or my mother for that matter. She was the one who spent all our money. She made her bed, now she can lie in it. I just want you to be happy.”

“But...” Kurt smiled sadly at her. “...going to college is your dream.”

“I wouldn't worry about that if I were you, Hummel,“ Santana spoke up. “I've been thinking of using part of my inheritance to set up a fund that will hand hand out full scholarships to one young woman a year. I think I've just found my first recipient.” She winked at Quinn, who gaped, then hugged her. Kurt flew to his feet and did the same.

“All right, all right, let's not get sentimental, here,” Santana said, brushing them off. “Now,” she continued, turning to Kurt. “What are you still doing here?”

Hugging them both one last time, Kurt rushed off.

*

Kurt made his way down to third class. Spotting Puck with Finn and Rachel, he called out to them.

“Have you seen Adam?”

“Uhm... he said he was going to watch the sunset from the bow,” Finn said.

Uttering a quick thanks, Kurt ran away, making his way to the front of the ship.

He found Adam standing at the very front of the bow, leaning against the railing. Kurt quietly uttered Adam's name, making him turn. At the sight of Kurt, a soft smile spread over his lips.

“Do you still want to take me on an adventure?” Kurt asked hesitantly.

“Of course I do, love. There wouldn't be an adventure without you.”

A pleased blush colored Kurt's cheeks at the term of endearment.

“I knew you'd come,” Adam said, embracing him. “No cage, no matter how golden, could ever hold you.”

Kurt breathed in the other man's scent, feeling the turbulence of emotions that had plagued him all day finally settling into a calming sense of joy.

“I want to show you something. Come here,” Adam said, leading Kurt to the front of the bow where he'd just been standing. “Close your eyes.”

Kurt did as he was asked.

“Now don't peek. Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Here, step up on the railing. Be careful. And hold on.”

Kurt could feel Adam stepping up behind him.

“All right, I've got you,” Adam said, holding on to Kurt's waist. “Stretch your arms out... and open your eyes.”

Kurt gasped as he opened his eyes. With the sensation of speed and the sight of the water rushing by beneath him, it really felt like he was flying off into the sunset.

“Fly, blackbird... fly,” Adam whispered in his ear. Kurt laughed, relishing the thrill.

“How does it feel being free of your cage?” Adam asked, his nose nuzzling Kurt's ear.

“Amazing,” Kurt breathed. Adam lowered Kurt's arms, closing his own around Kurt's waist. Turning his head, Kurt met Adam's kiss, threading his hand in that beautiful blond hair as he moved his lips against Adam's.

 

They kissed for some time as the sunlight slowly faded away around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter 5. Next chapter: the portrait. Interestingly, when I decided that Will should have the “mr Andrews the architect”-role, I didn't think about how in the movie that part was played by Victor Garber, who played Will's dad on the show. Funny how it works out sometimes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Here's chapter 6. I took a little longer updating this time, but believe me when I say it couldn't be helped. I had several things on my plate which unfortunately had to take priority. As usual, a big thanks to everyone who's been reading! It means a lot to me. I hope this chapter is to your satisfaction, I'm a little unsure of how it came out. Some more sexy times here! Hope you enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee or Titanic._

Adam and Kurt entered Kurt's suite, hand in hand. As they had left the deck to go inside from the cold, it had really hit Kurt that he was finally going to be free. When the ship docked in New York, he would go with Adam and he would never again have to see Sebastian or Judy, ever. And Quinn would be okay on her own. She would get her college education after all, and he didn't need to worry about her. He could go anywhere, do anything. He could live out his life to the fullest instead of wasting away as Sebastian's toy. But he really felt he owed Sebastian some payback for everything he'd been put through. An idea had occurred to him... and it was delicious.

“ _Sebastian's going to be so furious_ ,” he had thought, smiling to himself.

“What? What are you thinking of?” Adam had asked curiously.

“Come with me to my suite. I'll explain everything there,” Kurt had said secretively.

Adam tugged his coat off and threw it over a chair.

“Now, love: what did you have in mind?” he asked.

Kurt turned to him with a teasing smile.

“I would like to commission a portrait from you.”

Adam raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Oh?”

“Yes...” Kurt said, moving closer to Adam, slipping his arms around Adam's waist.

“I've been thinking about that portrait of the dancer that you showed me... I would like you to draw me like that...” Kurt moved his head to whisper in Adam's ear: “...and I mean _exactly_ like that.”

Adam's eyes widened.

“You mean... you want to me to draw you nude?”

Kurt nodded.

Adam swallowed visibly.

“I'd be honored,” he whispered.

Kurt smiled and leaned in to plant a soft kiss against Adam's lips.

“Good. Sebastian will be busy in the smoking room tonight, talking business deals with the other men and getting drunk on brandy. We won't be disturbed. Now, why don't you get set up here and I'll... get ready.”

Kurt left Adam to get undressed in private. He acted confident, but he was very nervous. Even though Adam had seen all of him the night before, this time would be different. The room would be fully lit as opposed to dark and Adam himself would be dressed. Kurt felt vulnerable and a little hesitant to being in such a vulnerable situation. Kurt knew Adam found him very attractive and that he would never do anything to hurt him, but after a lifetime of being judged by others it was hard not to be a little self-conscious.

When he was fully undressed, Kurt slipped on a robe and took a few deep breaths before joining Adam.

Adam looked up when he entered the room. He had arranged a couch to his liking and had set up his drawing materials on a table facing it. His eyes fixed on Kurt, and it was some comfort to Kurt that Adam seemed just as nervous as he himself was. Kurt approached, trying to keep his nervousness from showing on his face, smiling in a way he hoped looked confident. Without saying a word, he untied the sash of the robe and let it slip off his shoulders onto the floor.

Adam's eyes were round and wide as he looked at Kurt's revealed body, but like Kurt, he tried not to look too affected. He gestured towards the couch, with a raspy-voiced:

“The bed... I mean, the couch.”

As Kurt lay down, Adam suddenly seemed much more comfortable as he gave Kurt instructions about his pose.

“Yes, like that. And put your other arm up by your head... turn your head down a little... good. Now keep your eyes fixed on me.”

Taking a deep breath, Adam grabbed a freshly sharpened stick of coal and began sketching the outline.

Looking at Adam, Kurt no longer felt nervous or self-conscious. He could feel with every glance from Adam how wonderful he looked in the other's eyes. Adam's fingers were flying over the sheet of paper with great care and determination; it was fascinating to observe.

As Kurt began to feel more and more relaxed, he began humming a soft tune. Adam looked up, his hand stilling.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Kurt said. “Should I stop?”

“No, actually... keep doing that. There was such a wonderful expression in your eyes just now.”

Kurt kept softly humming the tune, watching Adam work. There really wasn't any words to describe how it felt lying there, completely exposed while Adam's eyes studied every last detail of him. Kurt began to understand that even though he had only met Adam two nights ago, Adam understood and knew him like no one else had ever before. And that he was safe with Adam in a way he'd never been before.  
When Adam was nearly done, he let Kurt rise from the couch to put his robe back on as he put the finishing touches to the drawing. Then he signed and dated it and handed it to Kurt.

“There you are. All done.”

Kurt looked at the drawing. It was stunning. _He_ looked stunning.

“ _This is how Adam sees me_ ,” he thought, his heart beating a little faster.

“Thank you,” he said, looking up at Adam. He almost regretted that he didn't plan to keep the drawing for himself, but he knew Adam wouldn't mind drawing him again... and again. Besides, he would much rather prefer a portrait drawn when he was finally rid of Sebastian and the two of them had gone away together. That would be the perfect way to celebrate his new life. But for now, he had plans for this particular portrait...

“Come with me,” he said, leading Adam towards the closet. There, Sebastian had placed the small safe he brought with him everywhere. He had placed it in Kurt's room in case – as he claimed – Kurt felt the need to store any of his expensive accessories there. But Kurt knew it was only so he would have more excuses to bother Kurt. Kurt turned the dial to the right combination and opened the safe. Then he fetched a piece of paper and a pen.

“What are you doing?” Adam asked, peering over his shoulder. When he saw what Kurt wrote, he grinned.

“I see,” he laughed.

Kurt looked up and winked at him.

“You don't mind, do you?”

“Of course not. It's yours to do with whatever you wish.”

Kurt blew on the note to dry the ink, then placed it on top of the drawing. He kissed Adam, sighing happily.

“Do me a favor and put that in the safe? I'm going to get dressed.”

Kurt put on a fresh suit and checked his hair in the mirror. The thrill of posing for Adam was still coursing through his veins, and he also felt a rush of satisfaction in the knowledge that the next time Sebastian opened the safe he would find the portrait along with a note reading:

 

_Sebastian, now you can really_  
 _keep me under lock and key._  
 _I hope you'll enjoy this portrait,_  
 _because it's as close as you'll_  
 _ever come to seeing me naked._  
 _Ever._  
 _Kurt_.

Ideally, Sebastian wouldn't find the portrait until Kurt had already left him in New York, but it really didn't matter if Sebastian found it before then. He had no control over Kurt anymore.  
Once he was satisfied, he went over to Adam who was waiting for him. He raked his eyes over Adam's tall, strong form, and was beginning to have a few ideas about what they might do with the rest of their evening, when there was a knock at the door.

“Mr Hummel?” came Hunter's muffled voice from the other side.

“Here, this way,” Kurt said, grabbing Adam's hand and exiting the room through the other door. They walked down the corridor, trying to look casual. Glancing over their shoulders, they saw that Hunter had spotted them; laughing, they began running down the hall, turning corners and making their way towards the elevators, forcing their way inside and slamming the elevator gates closed, shouting at the poor startled elevator attendant to take them down. Hunter reached the elevator just as it began lowering itself, slamming his palm against the gate in anger. Winking, Kurt waved at him with a cheeky smile.

“Why are we running from him?” Adam laughed. “There's two of us and one of him.”

“Yes... but it's kind of fun!” Kurt laughed, dragging Adam aside as Hunter came stomping down the stairs.

“Yes... oh, look, he's spotted us!”

Positively choking with laughter, they ran further down the hall. Trying one door, they ran inside, locking it behind them. They could hear Hunter angrily pounding against the door as they panted, short of breath from running and laughing.

The noise inside was deafening. The room they had entered was an entrance to the engine room.

“Now what do we do?!” Kurt shouted.

“What?!” Adam yelled.

Deciding that they might as well keep going, they descended the ladder leading down to the engines. Looking around, they were greeted by a large room filled with dozens of sweaty, soot covered men running back and forth with wheelbarrows filled with coals which they shuffled tirelessly inside the huge furnaces.

“What are you two doing down here?” a large man asked them as they stood gaping at the sight before them. Giggling like children, they started running off through the room, ignoring the surprised shouts behind them, not stopping until they found a door which turned out to lead to the baggage storage room.

Looking around, they found a brand new, gleaming automobile. Kurt got in the backseat, while Adam settled himself behind the wheel. Honking the horn, he said in an affected, snooty voice:

“Where can I take you, sir?”

“Anywhere... to the stars and back,” Kurt whispered.

Kurt leaned over the front seat, hooked his arms underneath Adam's and dragged him into the backseat. With some awkward maneuvering, Kurt managed to lay Adam down on the seat, straddling him. Leaning down, he kissed Adam deeply.

“I am so glad you came into my life...” he whispered against Adam's lips.

“Me too, love... me too...” Adam replied, running his hands over Kurt's back.

They began kissing, hungrily, desperately. As Adam's hands roamed over Kurt's body, Kurt felt his trousers growing tight, and Adam seemed to be in the same state. Kurt rocked his hips and was instantly rewarded with a deep groan. Another roll of his hips produced the same effect.

“Should I keep going?” he asked, smirking down at Adam, one eyebrow elegantly raised.

“Don't you dare stop!” Adam panted.

“Now, now... what do we say...?” Kurt asked wickedly.

“Kurt...! Please!” Adam begged.

“Well... since you asked so nicely...”

Kurt moved his hips again, pressing his hard length against Adam's. He soon got lost in the sensation, moving his hips faster, leaning down to kiss Adam's neck, leaving a mark on the skin there.

“ _Now you're mine_ ,” Kurt thought, trailing his lips against the length of Adam's neck to nibble lightly at his earlobe.

The windows of the car were beginning to get fogged up. Kurt kept moving, pressing down harder against Adam as Adam's hands clenched in the fabric of the back of his shirt. Kurt threw his head back, gasping and closing his eyes as the pleasurable sensations pushed him closer and closer towards the edge. Bracing himself with a hand on the window, he stared down at Adam.

“Kurt... oh, god _Kurt_ ,” Adam breathed. Suddenly, Kurt found he couldn't hold back anymore. With a cry, he found his release. Adam's arms tightened around him, and came as well with a loud, deep groan.

Afterwards, they lay in each other's arms, perfectly content. They had cleaned themselves up as best they could with Kurt's handkerchief, and then settled down in the backseat, waiting for the aftershocks of their orgasms to subside.

“ _Soon we will go to sleep like this every night, and wake up like this every morning_ ,” Kurt thought with a blissful smile, tightening his arms around Adam.

After some time, they became alert at the sound of the door opening and someone entering the room. Carefully slipping out of the car, they quietly made their way towards the door leading out to the deck. They could see two members of the crew, obviously searching for them. One of the men noticed the car and waved his colleague over. Throwing open the door to the car, the man yelled:

“Gotcha!” - and then his face fell as he realized the car was empty.

Kurt and Adam exited to the deck, quietly closing the door, then burst out laughing.

“I've never had this much fun in my entire life,” Kurt chuckled, throwing his arms around Adam.

“Kurt,” Adam said, staring into his eyes. “I promise you, that when we leave the ship together, I'll do everything in my power to make sure that not a week goes by without us laughing together like this.”

Looking into Adam's eyes, Kurt knew without a doubt that Adam meant every single word.

“Thank you. I'll hold you to that,” Kurt smiled, leaning in to kiss him.

 

The two of them stood there for what seemed the longest time, lazily kissing in the chilly night air. Vaguely, Kurt's mind registered the metallic ringing of a bell somewhere, but paid no attention to it, instead focusing on the softness of Adam's lips, the slick tongue moving against his own.

Several more minutes later, the deck floor began shaking.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 7! As usual, a big thanks to everyone who's reading! It means a lot to me. We're entering the sinking part of the story now, and I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that a couple major characters will not make it in the coming chapters. I hate doing it, but it would just not be realistic for everyone to make it out alive, so if I kill off one of your favorites please, please don't hate me! Deal? Good! On to the chapter...
> 
>  
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee or Titanic._

Kurt and Adam broke apart from their kiss as the ship's deck began trembling violently. Looking around in confusion, they gasped as they saw the iceberg, towering over their heads at it passed by. Large blocks of ice broke off from it and fell onto the ship, forcing Kurt and Adam to leap back to avoid being hit. Dashing to the railing they could see the iceberg scraping at the side of the sip with a creaking noise.

As the minutes passed, more and more people gathered, curious about what had taken place, pointing out to their friends where the iceberg had passed. Some were amusing themselves with kicking the blocks of ice around on the deck like footballs. Looking around and listening to the excited murmurs, Kurt felt an awful sense of dread growing in the pit of his stomach. He thought back to the boastful promotions of Titanic as an “unsinkable ship”. He remembered what mr Schuester had told him about the insufficient number of lifeboats. White Star Line had challenged fate. Though Quinn and Judy were both deeply religious, Kurt had never been able to believe in a higher power. But he did believe you should be better safe than sorry. And right now he knew they were definitely not safe.

Mr. Schuester appeared on a deck, carrying what looked like rolled up blueprints, talking in hushed tones to a group of nervous looking crew members. Straining his ears, Kurt caught words like “flooded”, “pumps” and “already under water”.

“This is serious,” Adam said, looking at Kurt with an anxious expression.

Kurt nodded, swallowing.

“We should tell my family... and Sebastian.”

Much as he hated Sebastian, Kurt felt he couldn't in good conscience ignore warning him about what was happening.

“Alright,” Adam said, nodding. “Let's go, love.”

Together they set off towards the first class suites. Nearing Kurt's rooms, they could hear Sebastian shouting at someone. Hunter was leaning against the wall, a smug look on his face as they approached.  
“We were looking for you, mr Hummel,” he smirked as they passed. Ignoring him, Kurt and Adam headed for the open door, Hunter trailing closely behind them.

The room was filled with people. Not only Sebastian was there, but also Judy and Quinn in their dressing gowns, and a handful of crew members. Everyone stared as Kurt and Adam entered the room. Judy's eyes narrowed as she looked at them, and Quinn was staring intently at Kurt and shaking her head as if she was trying to communicate wordlessly with him.

“Something serious has happened...” Kurt began, but was interrupted by Sebastian.

“Very true!” he said. “In the sense that I have been robbed.”

Kurt stared.

“Earlier,” Sebastian continued, “I opened the safe that I keep in that closet over there, searching for some important documents. I then noticed that a jewelry set I stored in there were missing. It's a priceless set, an emerald necklace and bracelet set that has been in my family for generations, that were meant as an engagement present to my fiancée! But luckily, I have a good idea of who the culprit is. Gentlemen,” he said, turning to the crew members, raising a finger to point at Adam. “I believe if you'll search that man you will find my property.”

The men pulled Adam's coat of and began searching through his pockets.

“Sebastian, what are you doing?!” Kurt hissed. Sebastian ignored him.

“Are these your things, sir?” a man asked Sebastian, holding out a necklace and bracelet, linked together.

“Yes, that's them,” Sebastian nodded.

“I bloody well didn't take them!” Adam yelled. “You know I didn't!” he said, turning to Kurt.

“Sebastian, this is absolutely ridiculous!” Kurt exclaimed. “He was with me the whole time when...”

“Perhaps he took them while you put your clothes _back on_ ,” Sebastian whispered in Kurt's ear.

“No... no! I didn't,” Adam said, having caught Sebastian's words. “ _He_ put them in my pocket just now!” he shouted, pointing at Hunter.

“ _Your_ pocket...?” Hunter smiled. “Curious... this name tag says 'Property of R. Bryan'.” Hunter held up Adam's coat. Kurt stared. He had noticed that Adam wasn't wearing his usual brown leather jacket, but he had assumed the fine black coat was another loan from Santana.

“That was reported stolen earlier,” one of the men said, fixing a stern glance at Adam.

Adam swore quietly. This was not good. Earlier in the day, before he spoke with Kurt in the gymnasium, he had ventured down to first class in search of Kurt, but he had been stopped and turned away by a man from the crew. As he snuck down to the boat deck later, he had noticed the coat on a lounge chair and put it on in order to blend in to avoid more trouble from the crew. He had meant to put it back where he took it, but he had forgotten.

“I only borrowed it! I was going to return it,” he said, knowing bad it sounded.

“Oh, how _honorable_ of you!” Sebastian exclaimed with a smile, making the men laugh.

“Right then, let's go, son,” the men said, fixing handcuffs around Adam's wrists and beginning to tug him towards the door.

“No, listen! Kurt! I swear I didn't do it!”

“Come now, there's a good lad.”

“Kurt! You know me!”

“ _Yes..._ “ Kurt thought as he watched Adam struggle. “ _I know you. You wouldn't... I know you_.”

Kurt glanced at Sebastian, and saw him smile darkly at Kurt.

“ _This is your doing_!” Kurt fumed. “ _This is all because of the portrait_!”

“Wait!” he cried, rushing towards the door, but was held back by Sebastian. “This is a mistake! Please! Just listen! He didn't do anything!”

But Adam was pulled out of sight, even as Kurt struggled to free himself from not only Sebastian's hands, but also Judy's, who were holding him back.

“Kurt! Stop it!” she yelled. “You're making a spectacle of yourself.”

Kurt sagged and stopped struggling with a hopeless sigh.

“Don't worry, Kurt, We will sort this out, somehow,” Quinn said soothingly.

“Quinn!” Judy hissed sharply.

Kurt turned to Sebastian with a glare that could have made flowers wither. Sebastian, however, only smiled.

“Ladies... if you'd excuse us. I have some things I wish to discuss with Kurt in private.

“Of course, mr Smythe,” Judy said ushering Quinn towards the door. “We will be in our rooms.”

 

Once Kurt and Sebastian were left alone in the room, Sebastian pulled out the portrait and looked at it with a fake expression of mild interest.

“I must say you managed to surprise me,” he said, tossing the drawing onto a nearby table. “Not many could say the same.”

Kurt ignored Sebastian and averted his gaze as Sebastian moved closer. Then, Kurt gasped as Sebastian's hand suddenly gripped his neck and he was slammed back hard against the wall. Chocking, Kurt tried to free himself from Sebastian's grip, but Sebastian held on tight.

“I warned you, didn't I?” he growled in Kurt's ear. “I warned you against making a fool out of me.” Sebastian laughed a soft, humorless laugh. “You're priceless, Kurt... you deny me what's mine, and then you slut around behind my back with a homeless, starving artist! Never figured you for that type...”

Sebastian released his grip on Kurt's throat and took a step back. Coughing and gasping for air, Kurt leaned against the wall and rubbed the skin on his neck.

“You two fucked, didn't you?” Sebastian asked. This time, Kurt to his surprise noticed a thickness in Sebastian's voice, almost as if he was holding back tears. But Kurt couldn't bring himself to feel one ounce of sympathy for him. Looking up, he met Sebastian's eyes with a mocking smirk.

“Yes... we were together... not just tonight, but last night, too. He walked me back after the party below deck... I invited him inside my room... and then inside _me_.”

Eyes flashing, Sebastian balled up his fist and drew back his arm. Kurt reflectively raised his own arm to block the oncoming strike, when the door opened, and some men from the crew appeared.

“Do you mind!” Sebastian barked, spinning around to glare at them.

“Terribly sorry to intrude, mr Smythe, but I have to ask that you and your family go outside to the Boat Deck. I suggest you to put on your life-belts as well. It's cold tonight, so warm clothing would be advisable.”

“What the hell is this now?” Sebastian groaned, rolling his eyes.

“I'm very sorry for the inconvenience, but it's the Captain's orders. Don't be alarmed young sir, I'm sure it's just a precaution” the man said, turning to Kurt, whose face was ashen from the ugly confrontation and also for having remembered why he returned to the suite in the first place.

“ _Precaution..._ ” he thought. “ _Somehow I don't think so..._ ”

They collected Judy and Quinn and moved out from their rooms. Finding that all the other passengers had gathered around the dining hall instead of the Boat Deck as instructed, they remained there as well waiting by the grand staircase. Sebastian was cursing sourly and Judy was bossing the maids around. Kurt's eyes darted here and back, observing the crew who darted back and forth, trying to listen to what they were saying to each other. He noticed mr Schuester about to pass up the stairs, and called out to the man.

“Mr Schuester...”

He stopped, turning and meeting Kurt's eyes. His own held a terrifyingly resigned look.

“Mr Schuester, I saw it,” Kurt said in a low voice as the other moved closer. “I saw the iceberg. Please, tell me the truth. What's going to happen?”

Mr Schuester was silent for a few seconds before replying. He was pale, but his voice was steady.

“The ship is sinking.”

Kurt heard Quinn gasp softly, and Sebastian utter a “...what...?”

“In about an hour or so...” mr Schuester continued looking around cautiously, “...all of this will be resting at the bottom of the ocean.”

He sighed and looked at Judy and Quinn.

“The Captain will fill the lifeboats with women and children first, per protocol. Get to a lifeboat as soon as you can. Do _not_ wait! You...” He broke off, swallowing. “You remember what I told you about the lifeboats, Kurt?”

Kurt nodded slowly, feeling almost numb from the horror of what was about to happen.

“Please... tell only who you must,” mr Schuester said. “I don't want to cause panic.”

Turning, he rushed off up the stairs.

Kurt stared after him.

“He said just women and children... but, Kurt...” Quinn whispered in a small voice.

“Don't worry, we'll all be fine, Quinnie!” Judy said dismissively.

“ _Dear god..._ ” Kurt thought, looking down at his shoes, shivering. “ _Adam... I have to find Adam_!”

He felt Quinn grab his arm. Looking at her frightened face, he decided to make sure she got on a lifeboat, then he would find Adam.

“ _We will have our adventure, like he said_ ,” Kurt told himself as the family moved out to the deck. “ _We will live in New York together. I will perform on Broadway, he will draw portraits. We will go to dance in seedy bars. We will spit off the Brooklyn Bridge_.”

*

Below deck, Adam, who had been handcuffed to a pipe in the Master of arms room, was about to be let free.

“Alright laddie, we'll unlock these, but you remain here for now.”

“I can watch him for you,” Hunter said, suddenly entering the room. “You boys go ahead, I'll manage.”

The two men hesitated, then tossed him the key to the handcuffs and rushed off, leaving Adam still chained to the pipe. Hunter settled down in a chair, smirking crookedly at Adam.

Some time was passed in silence. Adam ignored Hunter, who was trying to intimidate him by playing with a gun.

Looking out the porthole, Adam noticed with a shock that the water surface reached up half the porthole pane.

“It does indeed look like the ship is sinking,” Hunter spoke up behind him.

Adam turned. Hunter was still playing with his gun. He had taken a bullet out, and was rolling it over the knuckles on his hand.

“A shame... such a magnificent ship.”

He put the bullet back in the clip and loaded the gun. Adam stared at him warily as he approached.

“Mr Smythe asked me to give you this, should opportunity arise,” Hunter said, and Adam grunted and doubled over as the man's fist connected with his stomach.

“You're quite brave when I'm chained up,” Adam coughed as Hunter moved away towards the door.

“Goodbye, mr Crawford,” Hunter said without turning around, closing the door behind him.

He took the key to the handcuffs with him.

*

Out on the deck, the crew were calling women and children forward to the lifeboats. The band was seated outside, playing a cheerful waltz as the passengers where assisted onto the boats. Everybody gasped as rescue flairs suddenly lit up the sky. Kurt felt it was almost festive, in a very awful, surreal way. He tried to imagine what it would be like in half an hour, but he couldn't. Looking around, he even noticed to his horror that the crew didn't even seem to fill the lifeboats properly before lowering them down.

“Please, ladies, come forward,” a man said waving the women closer.

“You heard him, don't just stand there, girls! Get in the boat,” Santana said loudly, ushering the women towards the closest lifeboat.

Kurt was bouncing slightly on his feet, waiting for Quinn and Judy to get on the lifeboat.

“ _As soon as Quinn's safe, I'll go after Adam_.”

“Will the lifeboats be seated according to class?” Judy demanded in a shrill voice. “I do hope it won't be to crowded,” she said with a laugh as Santana and Quinn climbed in the lifeboat.

Kurt stared at her, not believing his ears.

“Are you a complete and utter idiot?!” he said.

Judy's mouth formed a thin line.

“Don't you _dare_ talk to me like..."

“The ship is sinking!” Kurt hissed in her face. “There aren't enough lifeboats, not even for half. Half the people on this ship are going to _die_!”

“Yes...” Sebastian said behind Kurt, “...but not the better half.”

Kurt stared at him, and had to force himself not to hit Sebastian. Kurt hated violence, and had never in his life hit anyone, but he really wanted to hit Sebastian now.

“ _He's not worth the bruised knuckles_ ,” Kurt thought, briefly closing his eyes.

Judy climbed aboard the lifeboat.

Sebastian and Kurt moved towards the railing. Quinn called Kurt's name as the crew began lowering the boat.

“Kurt!”

“I'll make arrangements for Kurt and myself, don't worry!” Sebastian shouted at her.

“What do you mean?” Kurt said, frowning.

“You'll see.”

Sebastian grabbed Kurt's arm and approached a man from the crew, pulling him aside.

“Look here,” Sebastian said. “I know that it's women and children only at the moment, but I was hoping you could make an exception for me and my brother in law, here.”

Kurt noticed thick roll of bills being pressed in the man's hand. The man hesitated, then slipped the roll in his pocket.

“Right sirs, move forward.”

Sebastian smiled at Kurt.

“See? Nothing to it.” He laughed softly. “It's a shame I didn't keep that drawing. It'll be worth a lot more by tomorrow.”

“You son of a bitch...” Kurt whispered.

“Sirs?” the crew member called. “If you would step this way...”

Kurt tore his arm free from Sebastian and began to run down the deck, but Sebastian caught his wrist.

“Where do you think you're going? To him? Do you really want to spend your life being a whore to a street rat?”

“Better his whore than yours!” Kurt yelled at Sebastian, trying to pull his arm free, but he couldn't break Sebastian's grip.

“ _You're stronger than you look... Alright then, you asked for it_ ,” Kurt thought, hawking back a wad of saliva and spat straight in Sebastian's face. That did the trick. With a growl of disgust, Sebastian released Kurt's arm, and Kurt rushed off, ignoring Sebastian's shouts as he moved through the crowds.

“ _Hold on, Adam_!” Kurt thought as he ran. “ _I'm coming for you_!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was chapter 7. Fun fact: fans of cult classic show _Twin Peaks_ will know that James Cameron totally stole Rose's “I'd rather be his whore than your wife” line from that show – the character Norma Jennings played by Peggy Lipton said it to Hank Jennings played by Chris Mulkey in one of the later episodes of _Twin Peaks_ season 2.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 8! Thanks so much to everyone for reading!
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee or Titanic._

Kurt ran inside, eyes darting back and forth. People seemed like they still didn't understand what was happening. Many were wandering around the corridors with expressions of irritation and confusion. The crew were rushing around, trying to convince people to put on their life belts and head for the deck. Turning a corner, he spotted mr Schuester's curly head. The man was walking around giving instructions to the crew and checking rooms for remaining passengers. Kurt shouted his name, making him turn around.

“Kurt... what are you doing back here?”

“Please, I need to know where the Master of arms would place someone under arrest.”

“Kurt, you should get back outside...”

“No! I have to go, and you have to help me. Please!” Kurt pleaded, gripping the other man's arm. Mr Schuester sighed.

“Alright, listen here: you take the elevator to the bottom, then enter the crew passage...”

Kurt did his best to memorize the directions Schuester gave him. They seemed unnecessarily complicated, but he didn't have time to ask the man to clarify them. Kurt thanked him, and ran off towards the elevator.

*

Below deck, Adam was growing increasingly anxious. No, not anxious... Adam was scared. He had been yelling himself hoarse for help, banging his handcuffs against the pipe he was chained to, but no one came to his aid. He hadn't even heard anyone close by at all. He had tried pulling free from the handcuffs, but it had been no use. He was stuck.

Kurt knew he was here, though. Adam knew Kurt. Adam knew Kurt wouldn't leave him here to die. But what if Kurt couldn't get to him in time? What if something happened to Kurt?

“ _No, please god no, anything but that..._ ”

Adam closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He banged the handcuffs against the pipe again, yelling as loud as he could.

“HELP! I need help!!! Can anyone hear me?!”

No reply. With a groan of frustration, he leaned against the pipe.

And that's when the water started trickling in from under the door.

“Oh shit!”

Climbing up on the side of the pipe, he tried pulling the pipe itself loose from its fastenings, but it was stuck tight.

And the water kept coming in.

*

Kurt pushed past people by the staircase, heading straight for the elevators. As he reached the nearest one, the exasperated-looking elevator attendant held out his hand to stop him.

“I'm sorry, sir, but the elevators are closed. If you would be so kind as to...”

The man was abruptly silenced as Kurt took him by the scruff of his neck and shoved him back inside the elevator.

“I don't have time to do this the civilized way, now take me down to E-deck GODDAMMIT!” he barked.

With the expression of a startled rabbit, the attendant slammed the elevator gate closed and lowered the elevator.

As the elevator reached E-deck, water streamed inside.

“We have to go back up!” the attendant yelled.

“No, wait!”

Kurt pulled the gate open and moved outside.

“Come back! I'm going back up!”

Kurt only spared the attendant a fleeting glance as the elevator moved up. Looking around, he spotted a sign for the crew passage and entered it. The water reached him to his knees. Pieces of furniture were floating around and he had to move them to pass through. 

Mr Schuester had described a “long corridor”, but as Kurt looked around, he felt the corridors all looked the same. Cursing Schuester's inability to give coherent directions, Kurt picked one and waded through it, calling Adam's name.

“Adam! ADAM!!”

The water level was lower here. Kurt realized the ship was tilting. He called out Adam's name again. And this time he heard Adam calling back:

“Kurt!! In here!!”

Following the sound of Adam's voice, Kurt found the right room. Rushing inside, he waded over to Adam and threw his arms around him.

“Adam! I'm so sorry, I should have come for you right away, I should have...”

“Hey, hey, it's all right, love. It's all right.”

Taking a deep breath, Kurt tried to calm down.

“Kurt, you know I didn't steal anything, right?”

“I know, I know! It's just like Sebastian to pull a stunt like that! But never mind that, we have to get you out of here, right now! Where's the key to these things?”

“I think that bastard took it with him. See if there's a spare key over there. It was a little silver one.”

Kurt moved over to a key cabinet, but there was no silver key, only brass ones. He moved over to a desk, searching the drawers.

“There's no key... Adam, there's no key!”

“All right, then you'll have to try and find some help. Kurt, look at me.”

Kurt looked up to meet Adam's eyes.

“Everything will be all right. We're going on an adventure, you and I. I promised. Remember?”

Kurt nodded. Moving over to Adam, he pressed a quick kiss on his lips.

“I'll hurry back as fast as I can,” he whispered, gently pressing his forehead against Adam's for a brief second, them turned and ran out.

“I'll just... wait here, then...” Adam said helplessly.

The water level had quickly risen. It almost reached Kurt's hips. Wading down the corridor, he found the stairs to the next level, and climbed them. The corridors there seemed just as deserted. Kurt's cries for help went unanswered. Hope was briefly lit when a large, bearded passenger came rushing down the corridor towards him, but the man ignored Kurt's pleas for help and tore free from Kurt when he grabbed the man's arm, rushing on out of Kurt's sight.

“Wait! Oh, god, help us, please! Is anyone here?! Hello?!”

No one else came. Panic tore at Kurt's heart as the lights flickered and he was suddenly left in total darkness. 

“ _Oh god, this can't be happening. Someone help us!_ ”

Kurt breathed a shaky sigh of relief as the lights came back on. They couldn't have been out for more than five seconds, but it felt like ten minutes. Kurt's eyes fell on an object attached to the wall in front of him. An emergency fire axe. Deciding he couldn't let Adam wait any longer, Kurt pulled it loose and hurried back down.

The water had now risen so high at the beginning of the corridor that it almost filled the doorway to the stairs. Taking off his coat, Kurt carefully lowered himself down into the water, gasping at the freezing cold. With the axe in one hand, Kurt awkwardly moved himself forward by holding on to the pipes in the ceiling. As soon as his feet hit the floor and the water level was low enough, he let go and waded as quickly as he could back to the Master of arms office.

Adam was perched on a table, looking decidedly relieved as Kurt entered the room.

“I couldn't find anyone. Do you think this will do?” he asked, holding up the axe.

“We'll have to try. Kurt, wait!” Adam said, as Kurt got ready to swing the axe. “Maybe you should take a practice swing first. Use the desk.”

Moving over to the desk, Kurt took a swing, striking the desk surface.

“Good!” Adam said. “Now again, and try hitting the same spot.”

Kurt swung again... and the axe landed several inches away from the mark.

“That's... that's good, Kurt, enough practicing,” Adam said, smiling awkwardly. Kurt moved back over to Adam. Adam stretched the chain of the handcuffs over the pipe.

“Okay, Kurt, hit as hard and fast as you can, hold your hands a little further apart...”

“Like this?”

“That's good, now let's do this. You can do it Kurt. I believe in you.”

Teeth chattering from the cold, Kurt braced himself. Adam moved his head out of the way. As he swung, Kurt couldn't help closing his eyes. For a split second, he had a horrible vision of the axe striking Adam and blood spilling into the water... but then a clanking metallic sound was heard, and when he opened his eyes he could barely dare believe what he was seeing: the chain was broken and Adam was free.

Laughing, they threw their arms around each other, embracing each other tightly.

“Oh, god Kurt! That was brilliant!”

“Yeah! Now come on, we have to get out of here!”

Cursing at the water's cold, Adam followed Kurt out into the corridor. Looking down toward the beginning of the corridor, Kurt saw to his horror that it was now completely under water.

“Adam... that's the way out!”

“Not anymore, apparently. We'll have to try and find another way.”

Moving down the other way of the corridor, they turned a corner into the next corridor, where they found another flight of stairs, only to discover that the door was locked.

“We'll have to break it down, Kurt,” Adam said, shivering.

Together they threw themselves hard against the door. Once, twice... and on the third try they smashed through and stumbled into a corridor where a handful of crew men were gathered.

“What are you doing?!” one of them snapped at them. “That's White Star Line property! You'll have to pay for that!”

“SHUT UP!!!” Kurt and Adam yelled, and kept walking. They soon found their way to the main stairwell leading up to the deck, where a crowd of third class passengers were gathered. The gates were locked and crew men on the other side were guarding it. One of them had a small gun aimed at the passengers.

“I can't let you through yet!” the man shouted.

Adam felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Puck's worried face.

“Puck!”

Adam hugged his friend, glad to have found him. He was also glad to notice Finn and Rachel were with him.

“Adam, these assholes won't let us through, and the boats that way are gone. There's nothing left!”

“Bloody hell,” Adam cursed under his breath.

“We'll have to try the other side, then,” Kurt suggested.

Adam nodded.

“Right. Come on, let's go!”

The five friends ran through crowded hallways filled with confused, scared passengers. Kurt noticed a narrow staircase.

“Adam! This way!”

At the top of the stairs, they found about ten other passengers, demanding to be let trough. The gates to this stairway were also locked. The man on the other side was not listening to the passengers pleading.

“You'll have to go back to the main stairwell and wait,” he said in a tired voice.

Kurt, Adam and the others pushed forward to the gate.

“Open the gate,” Adam said.

“Go down to the main stairwell.”

“Open. The. Gate. _Now_ ,” Adam hissed, staring the man down.

“I told you to go wait by the main stairwell, didn't I?!”

Puck grabbed the gate and shook it violently.

“Open this gate you FUCKING BASTARD!!!”

Kurt patted Adam's shoulder.

“Adam... we can use that.”

He pointed to a wooden bench by the wall.

“Puck! Finn! Give us a hand with this!”

Kurt, Adam, Puck, Finn and a couple of the other men gathered there tore the bench loose from the bolts fastening it to the floor while Rachel urged everyone to move aside. Together they rammed it against the gate, and broke through.

“You can't do that!” the man from the crew yelled indignantly, but was quickly silenced by Puck's fist connecting with his jaw.

 

As they came out on deck, Kurt felt his heart fill with dread when he saw that all the boats were gone.

“Damn! What the hell do we do now?” Finn asked. Looking around, Kurt spotted an acquaintance.

“Colonel! Are there any boats left on that side?”

“Ah, young Hummel! No, lad, but I believe there are some left at the front.”

The old man had barely finished his sentence before the group rushed off, heading towards the front. There, they found the last boats left. Desperate people were gathered there, screaming and pushing. Some attempted to jump onto the lowering boats from the railing. The crew had guns out, and fired off rounds into the air to keep the crowds from rushing the boats. Shouts of: “Women only! Women and children only! Move back!” were repeated over and over.

Finn moved himself and Rachel to the front of a crowd gathered by a boat about to be lowered. Pushing Rachel towards a crew member, he said:

“Here, take her!”

Before she could realize what was happening, the man had grabbed Rachel and unceremoniously tossed her onto the boat.

“No! Wait! Finn! You have to come with me! HE HAS TO COME WITH ME!!!” Rachel screamed, her hands reaching out towards the railing as the others in the boat held her back.

“Sorry, miss. Women and children only. That's it, lads! Lower the boat!” the man ordered.

“No, stop!! Please stop!! Finn!! FINN!!!”

“It's okay, Rachel!” Finn shouted to her, his voice thick. “Once we're safe, I'll find you! Everything will be okay!”

He stared at her until the boat reached the water, then turned his back and wiped the tears from his face.

Puck put his hand on Finn's shoulder.

“Hey, Finn... let's go check on that side.”

Straightening his back, Finn nodded.

“Adam! Finn and I will check out the other side!”

Adam nodded.

“Alright. Hey, Puck!...”

Puck stopped and turned to look at Adam.

“...be careful, all right...?” Adam said. Smiling, Puck nodded and playfully slapped Adam's shoulder before rushing off with Finn. Adam stared after them, worry all over his face. Feeling a soft touch by his wrist, he looked down and saw Kurt's smooth hand wrap around his own roughened one. He raised his head and looked into Kurt's eyes – those big, clear eyes of almost otherworldly beauty. Kurt communicated silently with him.

“ _It's okay._ ”

It wasn't, and they both knew it, but Adam smiled and gave Kurt's hand a little squeeze.

They both waited in the frightened crowd as the next boat rapidly filled. Sobs and cries of women and children calling for their husbands, sons and fathers rang in their ears. Kurt shivered and pressed closer to Adam.

“Adventure, right?” he whispered.

“Right,” Adam smiled.

“Tell me something else about it. Where would we live?”

“Anywhere. Maybe we'll find an apartment somewhere in a cheap neighborhood. Maybe some old granny will rent out her attic for a low fee in return for help around the house. On Sundays we'll lie in bed till noon... and make love like crazy,” Adam said, whispering the last part in Kurt's ear. Kurt smiled, leaning his head against Adam's shoulder.

“It sounds so nice.”

“It sounds damn terrible!” a voice behind them said.

Startled, Kurt turned around.

“Sebastian...”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 9. Thanks to everyone who's been reading, you're the greatest! There will be an Epilogue after this chapter, which will be the last entry of the story. I wanted to post them both at the same time, but the Epilogue is not quite done, and I've been up all night writing, and I'm pretty tired. But it will be posted SHORTLY.  
> Another thing: please don't hate me for this chapter. I hate myself already. There are more notes at the end of the chapter.
> 
>  
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee or Titanic._

“Look at you,” Sebastian said, eyes passing over Kurt's form. “You look awful. And no coat, either - what happened to your coat? Never mind – here, take mine.”

Sebastian shrugged his coat off and threw it over Kurt's shoulders, a hint of a glare in his eyes as they fell on Adam.

“What are you still doing here?” Kurt said, reluctantly slipping his arms inside the coat's sleeves. “I thought you'd be on one of the boats by now.”

“I wanted to, believe me, but I couldn't without making sure you were safe. And we're going to make sure of that right now. Excuse me, sir!”

Sebastian walked over to one of the crew men by the lifeboat, talking in low tones, and gesturing towards Kurt.

“ _Another bribe_ ”, Kurt thought as he noticed Sebastian slip something into the man's hand. The man nodded, and waved Kurt forward.

“Right, young sir, we have room for you on this boat.”

“No...” Kurt shook his head. “No. I'm not leaving without Adam.”

Sebastian sighed.

“Get in the boat, Kurt.”

“No!”

“Kurt...” Kurt turned at the sound of Adam's voice. “Get in the boat. It's okay, I'll manage. I always do.”

“I'm not going anywhere without you!” Kurt shouted, holding on to Adam's hand.

“Look,” Sebastian cleared his throat. “I have another arrangement with a man on the other side. I can convince him to take Adam in the boat too. But you have to get in this one, now, while there's still room.”

Kurt hesitated, staring between Adam and Sebastian.

“Kurt...” Sebastian said, meeting his eyes. “I promise.”

“There, Kurt, you see? I'll be fine.” Adam smiled. “Now you'd better get on the boat, before it leaves without you.”

Kurt threw his arms around Adam, and held him tight.

“Adam...”

“It will be all right, Kurt. Don't worry about me. I'm a survivor. Now get in the boat.”

Kurt's hold on Adam was broken as Sebastian grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him forward towards the boat, and was helped onto it by the crew man, taking his arm. Once Kurt had been seated, the man shouted for the boat to be lowered. As it slowly began descending, Adam who was standing by Sebastian at the railing, looked down at Kurt, whose eyes were fixed on him.

“There's no 'arrangement', is there?” he said in a low voice to Sebastian.

“Oh, there is... for _me_.” Sebastian said casually. “I'm a winner, Adam. And like real winners, I do what's necessary to get what I want. I have never lost before... and I never will.”

Kurt stared up at Adam as the boat was slowly lowered while more emergency flares lit up the sky over their heads, and his entire being was infused with a sense of wrong. This was all wrong. Since when was Sebastian a man who kept his promises? He wasn't going to help Adam. He would abandon Adam first chance he got, and while Kurt was sitting safely in his lifeboat, Adam would fighting for his life _alone_. The thought sickened Kurt.

“ _I can't do this. I can't leave him, I can't!_ ”

Kurt stood up abruptly. Before anyone could react, he leaped from the boat onto the railing.

“Kurt!!”

Adam called out for Kurt as he held onto the railing, being pulled in on to the deck by bystanders. As soon as Kurt fell on the the floor he rose and ran inside. Adam dashed from the railing, heading for the entrance, weaving through the crowds. He found Kurt halfway up the grand staircase and threw his arms around him.

“You fool!” Adam sobbed, unable to hold his tears back. “You were on a lifeboat, you were safe! What were you thinking?! Why did you do that?!”

“Sebastian wasn't going to help you!” Kurt said defiantly, sobbing and sniffing along with Adam. “And if you jump, then so do I! Remember?”

Smiling through the tears, Adam nodded and leaned his forehead against Kurt's.

“I remember.”

Kurt cupped Adam's face with his hands, brushing away a tear with his thumb.

“I couldn't go. I just couldn't.”

“It's okay. We made it this far. We can do this. Somehow, we'll make it.”

Kurt held Adam a little closer and buried his nose in the other man's neck.

And that's when the banister next to them exploded in a shower of splinters. And the reason was Sebastian, who was standing on the stair over their heads with Hunter's gun in his hand, and he was taking aim for another shot.

“Oh god! Run! Hurry!” Kurt shouted, running alongside Adam. Several more bullets flew past them as they ran down the winding stairs. They could hear Sebastian shouting in anger behind them. They reached the   
bottom of the staircase and entered the flooded entrance to the dining hall. One bullet narrowly missed Kurt's hip as they moved through the water. And then the bullets ceased, and they could hear a frustrated growl from Sebastian.

“I hope you enjoy your life together! What's left of it, anyway!” he shouted after them.

They didn't stop to see if Sebastian had come to his senses. They kept running through the dining hall, past another corridor, and hid in a corner, catching their breath. Adam peeked around the corner to see if they were still followed, when a sound reached Kurt's ears. The cries of a frightened child. Kurt grabbed Adam's arm and alerted him to the sound.

There was a set of stairs behind them. Descending them, they looked down the corridor and spotted the boy halfway down, alone and screaming. There was a closed set of doors behind him, and water was rushing out from the cracks. They looked like they could burst any second. Water was coming down the stairs they were standing at. The narrow passage was quickly flooding. There was no mistake they had to get out immediately. But they couldn't leave the boy, and Kurt told Adam so. Nodding, Adam took a deep breath and ran down the corridor. Scooping the child up in his arms, he turned with Kurt and kept running, but only a few feet down their path was blocked by torrents of incoming water. Turning back again, a man suddenly appeared in front of them. Shouting angrily, he took the child from Adam. Grabbing a small suitcase by his feet the man ran in down the corridor down towards where they had found the child. Kurt and Adam ran after him, shouting warnings, but the man did not stop. When he reached the corridor, the doors burst, and a river of water came flooding out.

The man and the boy were lost in the floods, and Kurt and Adam had no choice but to run for their lives, but they didn't manage to get very far until they were swept up in the flood. The water brought them down along the hall, until they were slammed into the closed gate in a doorway. Grunting from the pressure of the flood, they held on to the gate and pulled themselves up, then managed to drag themselves back along the wall a few feet, where there was another set of stairs leading up. Unfortunately, when they got to the top of the stairs, that exit was also gated.

“This isn't happening!” Kurt shouted, shaking the gate. The hallway down the stairs was already filled. The stairs would be flooded in seconds. Shouting for help, they shook the gate, which refused to budge. And then a man from the crew appeared before them. He was about to run up the stairs.

“Wait! Sir, please open the gate! Help us!”

The man turned around as if he was about to ignore their calls, but then his shoulders slumped, and he ran forward towards the gate, fishing out a bundle of keys from his pocket. The man fumbled with the key, trying to unlock the gate with trembling fingers. 

And then the keys fell out of his hands into the water.

“I'm so sorry!” the man screamed, then he turned and ran up the stairs, and this time he didn't stop.

Kurt shouted after the man to come back and help but it was no use. He was gone. 

Adam took a deep breath and ducked under the water. Reaching underneath the gate by the floor, he groped around until his fingers felt metal.

“I got 'em!” he spluttered as he came up out of the water, nearly reaching up to their shoulders, holding up the keys.

“I think it was that short one!” Kurt yelled.

Adam awkwardly reached around, trying to fit the key in the lock.

“I can't get it to fit... dammit it's stuck!”

“Hurry, Adam!”

Adam desperately tried to work the key in the lock as the water level rose. And suddenly, the key turned in the lock and the gate swung open. Grabbing on the the pipes in the ceiling the moved forward through the flooded hallway, and reached the stairs. Pulling themselves up out of the water, they climbed them as quickly as they could.

At the top, they found themselves in the smoking room. Running through, as they passed the still lit fireplace, Kurt to his surprise saw William Schuester standing there, leaning on his arm against the mantelpiece.

“Mr Schuester...” Kurt said, stopping. Schuester turned around. He didn't look at all scared, just tired, defeated, and frighteningly calm.

“Kurt...” he sighed.

Looking into his eyes, Kurt could see that the man had decided.

“You're not even going to try,” Kurt said. 

He nodded.

“I'm so sorry, Kurt. My ship wasn't strong enough.” He sighed. “ _I_ wasn't strong enough. I couldn't make them listen. And now people are dying because of it.”

“Kurt, we have to hurry,” Adam said, taking his hand.

“Wait,” Schuester said, holding up his hand. He took his own lifebelt, which was thrown over an armchair, and handed it to Kurt.

“Good luck,” he said, a faint smile on his lips.

“And to you,” Kurt said, accepting the lifebelt, then, as a last gesture of comfort, he gave the man a hug. Kurt and Adam said goodbye, and left the smoking room where William Schuester would live out the last remaining moments of his life, making his peace and thinking of Emma Pillsbury, the woman who was waiting for him to return home. She would wait in vain.

When Kurt and Adam reached the deck, it became apparent that the Titanic didn't have very long left over the surface. The bow was flooded, and the stern was beginning to rise. Some were throwing themselves off the rails in a vain attempt to swim for it. Kurt, who had fastened his lifebelt, grabbed Adam's arm.

“We should stay on the ship as long as possible.”

“You're right,” Adam nodded, his eyes sweeping over the madness surrounding them.

“This way!”

Holding on to Kurt's hand they ran towards the stern, making their way back through the masses of panicked people as the ship steadily rose. A priest was standing near the stern, praying with a small group of people who seemed to have given up. People fell screaming from the ship down into the foaming water.

Kurt and Adam moved with difficulty over the tilting deck until they finally could grab onto the railing at the stern. Holding onto it for dear life, the had their arms around each other. Hands were everywhere around them, desperately trying to find something to cling to.

A thought suddenly struck Kurt, and in spite of everything, he couldn't help smiling at the absurdity of it all.

“Adam... this is the place where we met.”

Adam met his eyes. Smiling sadly, he placed a kiss on Kurt's forehead, tightening his grip on the railing as the ship kept rising. The stern had now risen so high that people were sliding down over the deck. A clinking sound reached their ears, and Kurt realized it was the sound of breaking china from inside the ship.

Everything suddenly became dark. The power had finally given out. Only a few seconds after, there was a horrible creaking noise, and the hull broke in two at the middle. Kurt and Adam gasped as the stern fell down.

The deck was not level for long. As the bow part sank, the stern began to rise again, so rapidly that Kurt and Adam had to climb over onto the outside of the railing to keep from falling. The whole stern part of the ship was now vertical. Kurt and Adam lay pressed against the railing and could do nothing but watch as people all around them fell screaming into the sea.

“Oh, god what's happening? Adam, what's happening?” Kurt gasped.

“I don't know!” Adam replied, eyes wide as he took in the horror beneath him.

The stern began to sink. Fast. Adam squeezed Kurt's hand.

“This is it, Kurt! Get ready! The ship will suck us down. Take a deep breath when I say so, and when we hit the water you _swim_!!! Don't let go of my hand!!!”

Kurt nodded as he stared at the approaching water surface.

“We're going to make it Adam, aren't we?!”

“You're damn right we are!!! This is it! Ready? Hold your breath!”

And then they were under the surface. The freezing cold of the water was excruciating, but Kurt ignored as he tried to swim against the whirling masses of water while trying to hold on to Adam's hand. But then suddenly, Adam's hand was gone. Adam had been swept away. Kurt swam to the surface; gasping for breath, Kurt turned around, his eyes searching for Adam among the screaming, crying people in the water.

“ADAM!!!” he screamed. “ADAM!!!”

His voice could barely be heard over the deafening noise of the screams. Kurt tried to swim, but then suddenly he was pushed under water. Someone had grabbed him and was using his body to hold themselves above water. Kurt tried to turn around to free himself, but his head was again forced under the surface.

“GET OFF HIM!!!”

Adam had found Kurt.

“Let him go right now!”

The man holding Kurt didn't answer, he just wailed, eyes bulging out of their sockets with fear as he refused to let go. Adam's fist shot out and struck the man's cheek, once, twice, and then he finally let go. 

“Kurt! Are you all right?!”

Kurt nodded, teeth chattering.

“Oh god, Adam, it's so cold!”

“I know. Try to swim! Over there, look!”

They swam towards a piece of debris, floating in the water: a large wooden board.

“This will do. Climb on, Kurt!”

With some difficulty, Kurt managed to get on the board. However, when Adam tried to get on, it tipped over and Kurt rolled off into the water.

“Get back on, Kurt,” Adam said, helping him up.

“Adam, it's not big enough for the two of us! What are we going to do?”

“It's okay. You stay on top, I'll hold on to the side.”

“Like hell you are!” Kurt shouted. “The water is freezing!”

“We don't have a choice Kurt! There's nothing else!”

Kurt released a sob of frustration, and put his arms around his chest... and that's when the idea came to him.

“Adam... my lifebelt!”

“What about it?” Adam asked, lips shivering.

“If put it underneath the board, it might help!”

Adam met Kurt's eyes.

“It's worth a try. Give it here!”

With stiff fingers, Kurt managed to loosen the strings to the lifebelt. They pushed it underneath the board, then tied the strings around it to hold it in place.

“All right, I'm climbing up, try to stay still.”

It worked. This time, the board didn't tip over.

“Oh god...!” Adam half laughed, half sobbed with relief as he pulled Kurt into his arms. “You're a genius, Kurt.”

Kurt put his arms around Adam, holding him close.

“We're all right now...” he whispered.

Close by in the water, a man from the crew was blowing a tin whistle, screaming for the boats to return.

“The boats are coming back,” Adam whispered. “The left to get away from the suction, but they'll come back soon. We just have to wait. We just have to wait...”

*

At a good distance from where Kurt and Adam where, Santana was seated in the lifeboat with her arm around a weeping Quinn's shoulders. Her lips were pressed together in a tight line, and tears were rolling down her cheeks, but she swallowed her sobs. She refused to break down in front of the man seated opposite her. He was one of the two crew members who had had been placed on their boat. When the ship had disappeared under the surface, Santana, who had no longer been able to stand the screams had urged the other women in the boat to start rowing so they could help. There was plenty of room left in their boat. Quinn had agreed, but no one else so much as moved a muscle. All they did was sob into their silk handkerchiefs. When Santana had snapped and called them out for being cowards, the man had threatened to throw her and Quinn overboard if they didn't sit down and shut up. They had no choice but to do as he said. No one would back them up.

Now Santana was rubbing Quinn's shoulder as she cried, trying to block out the sounds of the dying people in the water. She closed her eyes and thought back to the last time she'd seen the love of her life. Brittany had been sitting in a window seat, that enormous cat of hers in her lap, stroking its fur as the sunlight made her hair glow. Taking a deep breath, Santana's tongue darted out to lick away the salty tears on her lips, and promised herself that when she was safely in New York, she would seek out Brittany and never, ever let anything come between them ever again.

Quinn wiped at the wetness on her cheeks with her gloved hand. Her heart ached as she thought about her stepbrother. She thought about Adam and all their new friends. Where were they now? Where they still alive?

What she and Santana didn't know – and what Kurt and Adam didn't know, nor Rachel as she too sat crying in her lifeboat – was that Puck and Finn were gone. In the chaos that had ensued over the last two lifeboats, Finn had accidentally been shot by a crew man who was trying to keep the crowd from rushing the boat. He had died instantaneously. Puck had helped the crew cut the lines to the last lifeboat as the ship was sinking, and had been swept away into the masses of water. He was gone. 

Sebastian, however, was still very much alive. He had been refused onto the lifeboat by the man he'd paid off; the same man that shot Finn. He'd had his money thrown back in his face with the words:

“Your money can't save either of us.”

But Sebastian had found another way. He had found a small child huddled in a corner alone, crying for her mother. Taking her into her arms, he'd moved to the other lifeboat, and managed to convince the man there to let him aboard with the child, passing her off as his own:

“I'm all she has in the world.”

Sebastian was now safely seated in his lifeboat, shivering in the cold air.

*

Kurt and Adam lay on their board, tightly pressed against each other in an attempt to stay as warm as possible. The screaming and the crying was slowly fading away as people lost their battle and took their last breaths. Kurt could see the man with the whistle frozen to death in his lifebelt, floating in the water close by. He turned his head away from the sight and burrowed his face into Adam's neck.

“Why aren't they coming?” he whispered, shivering.

“I imagine it will take a few minutes to organize the boats. They'll come love. They'll come,” Adam whispered back.

But moments passed, and still there was no sign of any lifeboats. Kurt could no longer feel his body. He could feel Adam's fingers in his hair, which was encrusted with ice.

“Kurt... winning that ticket was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Adam whispered. “You may have trouble believing that in the circumstances, but it's true. Because I met you. I love you, Kurt. I just want you to know that.”

Kurt clenched his fingers in the fabric of Adam's wet shirt.

“Adam, are you saying your goodbyes? Because I'll not stand for it! You said we were going to make it out of here, and we are, do you hear me? We are going to do all the things you said we would, and so much more. Promise me we will. Adam Crawford, you promise me right now!”

“I promise, love. I promise.”

“And you better keep that promise!”

He pressed closer against Adam's body.

“We don't have to wait much longer. It's like you said, they're organizing the boats. They'll come soon.”

Adam nodded.

“I love you too, you know,” Kurt whispered. 

Adam's cold lips pressed a kiss against his neck.

“Thank you.”

“They'll be here soon,” Kurt said.

“Soon,” Adam echoed.

At long last, someone did come: a single lifeboat. A man on board was shining a lantern over the mass of corpses floating in the water, searching for survivors.

“Is there anyone alive out there?!” he shouted. “Can anyone hear me?!”

There was only silence.

A short distance away, Kurt as through a haze became aware of the light and the sounds. He had been trying to stave off the frightening drowsiness that tried to overpower him by softly singing as he lay in Adam's arms. Turning his head, he could see the boat.

“Adam!” he said, gently shaking the other man's arm. “There's a boat.”

Adam's eyes were closed. For a second, a horrible fear tore at Kurt's heart, but then, as he shook Adam's arm again, his eyes opened. Kurt drew a deep breath of relief.

“There's a boat,” he repeated.

Adam turned his body to look.

“They're turning around!” he gasped.

Kurt looked, and could see the boat turning and moving away.

“Come back!” he tried to shout, but his voice was too weak. They didn't hear.

“Kurt... over there,” Adam said, pointing towards the dead man with the whistle. Kurt nodded, but he realized that even though the man was close, he was still so too far away. 

“I can't swim over there, Adam. My body is frozen, I'll sink.”

Moving his limbs, Adam felt he was in the same sorry state. Neither of them were strong enough to swim even that short distance.

“Paddle, as fast as you can,” Adam said, lips shivering. Putting their hands in the water, they paddled towards the dead man as fast as their stiff limbs would allow. They managed to reach him, and grabbed the piece of debris he'd been holding on to. Adam took the whistle, still in the man's mouth, put to his own lips and blew. Kurt could have cried with relief when he heard the men in the boat shout:

“ _Turn around_!!!”

The beam from the lantern moved over them and stilled. 

They had been spotted.

The boat reached them, and they were helped onboard. 

They were saved.

Wrapped in blankets, Adam and Kurt lay together in the lifeboat for hours, trying to recover. 

There was nothing to do but wait, for anyone. And in the morning, sometime after sunrise, shouts were heard as the ship Carpathia was spotted in the distance.

The passengers of the Titanic were brought onboard and attended to. Kurt and Adam sat together on deck in their blankets, not talking but holding each other's hands. It seemed that most of the survivors were in the same lethargic state – too tired to do anything but sit and stare. Some were crying, but most were silent.

Kurt leaned his head against Adam's shoulder, sighing at the feel of sunlight on his face. He perked up at the sound of voices.

“Ladies, please, those passengers are all third class. You won't find any of your loved ones there.”

“You better shut up and move aside if you know what's good for you!” a familiar voice replied.

Kurt stood and turned around.

“Santana... Quinn!”

“Oh god... Kurt!!!”

Quinn ran forward and threw her arms around Kurt, Santana not far behind. When they spotted Adam behind them, he too was pulled into the hug.

“Thank god... thank god...” Quinn whispered, softly sobbing.

As she let go to wipe away her tears, Kurt's eyes fell on somebody standing a few feet behind her.

Sebastian.

Kurt met his eyes, but couldn't bring himself to care. What could Sebastian do, really, that had been worse than what they'd already endured?

But Sebastian had no intention of doing anything. He just stared at Kurt for a moment, then turned around and slowly walked away.

“Kurt... Adam...”

Everyone turned at the sound of a small, tearful voice. Rachel was standing behind them, cheeks and nose red from crying.

“Have you seen Finn? Where is Finn?”

Adam shook his head.

“I don't know.”

“Wasn't he with you?” Rachel asked, her voice trembling.

“We got separated. I'm sorry.”

“No... No!!!”

Santana scooped Rachel into her arms as she began sobbing.

“Rachel...” Adam said, touching her arm. “Have you seen Puck?”

She shook her head.

Kurt hugged Adam, stroking his hair as his love cried silently on his shoulder over the loss of his friend.

*

Hours passed. The small group of friends who had survived sat huddled together, trying to find comfort in each other as the Carpathia sailed on. As the Statue of Liberty became visible in the distance they gathered by the railing, watching dry land slowly approach. Kurt felt Adam take his hand.

“Are you ready for that adventure, love?” Adam asked.

Kurt smiled, pressing his forehead against Adam's.

“More than ready.”

“What do you want to do first?”

Kurt pressed a kiss against Adam's lips before softly replying:

“I want to live.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's that. As previously stated, there will be an Epilogue coming. I _really_ didn't want to kill off Finn and Puck, believe me. Writing character deaths suck. I don't know how J.K. Rowling can stand it. I hesitated for a long time, but it just wasn't plausible for so many main characters to survive. I had an excuse to let the women survive (even if many women died on the Titanic as well) because of the “women and children” policy for the lifeboats. But men from second and third class had the absolute lowest survivor percentage: only 8% of all second class-men survived, and 16% of all third-class men survived. But I could save Adam and change the ending to a happy one like I promised, because I have the perfect excuse for that as well:  
>  The _Mythbusters_ recently tested the theory that Jack could have survived the end of movie, and found that he could have by using Rose's lifebelt as I had Kurt and Adam do here. (That _Mythbusters_ -episode is available on YouTube should anyone be interested, just search “mythbusters titanic”). Well... that was that. Epilogue will be posted very soon. I hope this chapter isn't too full of mistakes, I've only read it through once and I'm dead tired, but I wanted to post it right away.


	10. EPILOGUE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final entry. I hope you've enjoyed the story. This was my second attempt at fanfiction – my first was a small oneshot – and I was very nervous. But I have gotten some good response – a million thanks to everyone who were kind enough to send me feedback! - and I hope you've all enjoyed reading this fic! Thanks again!
> 
> _Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Glee or Titanic._

_Two years later._

“Okay, that's enough for tonight! Good work everybody. See you all tomorrow!”

Kurt breathed a sigh of relief as the director dismissed everyone from rehearsal. It had been a long night and he was tired, and dying to go home to see Adam. But still, even though it was hard work, he wouldn't trade it for anything. He enjoyed every minute of it.

“Kurt, I'm going to wash up. I'll just be a few minutes, I promise,” Rachel said, dabbing sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.

“It's okay, take your time. I'll wait.”

For the last two years, Kurt and Rachel had been trying to break their way into the Broadway scene together. For a while following their arrival in New York, Rachel had been positively wrecked with grief over the loss of Finn. For weeks she often spent whole nights crying in the arms of her fathers, who had come to New York to care for her. And when she stopped crying she was just numb. But after the worst was over, she started putting her life back together.

“Finn was robbed of his life. I have to live for both of us. I'm going to make him proud of me,” she'd say. The pain was still there, but she refused to let it destroy her. Kurt admired her for that. They'd quickly become close friends, and she'd moved into the same building he and Adam lived in.

Kurt and Adam had adopted the same philosophy as Rachel. There was still days when either of them had to comfort the other from vivid nightmares, and there had been days when Kurt had caught Adam silently crying over guilt over having survived while Puck hadn't. But they were grateful to be alive, and they made the most of every day. They worked hard. Adam had found a job in a factory, and sold portraits whenever he could to add to their income, and Kurt had found a job as a waiter in a café. When they were not working, they would go out on their little adventures, always thinking up new things to do, meeting new people, finding new experiences. And sometimes they would just stay in their tiny, cheap apartment, in bed together, trying to break the record of how many times they could make love before collapsing with exhaustion. Kurt was having the best time of his life. 

And now, finally, he and Rachel were going to star in their first Broadway production. It was a relatively small production, but they were leads. They had been a bit surprised to find out that they had been requested for the parts by the production's major financial backer – one ms. Santana Lopez.

“So what?” she'd said. “I wouldn't have given you the parts if I didn't think you could do it. I'm not doing this to be _nice_ ,” She shuddered as if the word itself gave her discomfort. “I'm doing it because I've heard you both sing, I know you have the talent, and I want to see you in this show. And let me tell you this: if you _don't_ take these parts, I will make it my mission in life to see to it that neither of you will ever again be offered so much as the part of 'townsperson'. Clear?”

This was all fine by Kurt and Rachel. They knew that behind her threats lay a caring person who believed in them. They saw her regularly, together with Brittany.

Quinn had entered college as planned, with the scholarship from Santana's fund, and she was thriving, soaking up knowledge like a sponge and socializing with the best and brightest minds. Sometimes she visited Kurt and Adam and joined them on their little outings. Judy had managed to avoid financial ruin by getting remarried to a man who was much older than her, but very wealthy. Relations between her and Quinn had been strained ever since the disaster, but Quinn still sometimes visited her. Kurt didn't, however. All contact between him and his stepmother was severed, and he wasn't sorry. He doubted she was, either.

Adam had taken the loss of his friend hard, and as soon as they were able, Kurt and Adam had visited Puck's home in Ohio, to pay their respects to his family. They were warmly greeted, and when Adam had broken down in front of Puck's mother, she had comforted him, insisting that no one blamed him. Adam and Kurt kept in touch with the Puckerman family by mail, and were planning another visit soon.

 

Kurt helped himself to some water, wondering what was keeping Rachel.

“She probably cornered the director again, discussing changes to the script. Or the wardrobe. Or the lighting,” he muttered to himself, then dropped his glass with a crash at the sound of a voice behind him:

“Hello, Kurt.”

Kurt spun around.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,” the approaching figure said.

Kurt straightened his back, arranging his facial expression into one of indifference.

“What are you doing here, Sebastian?”

Kurt hadn't seen Sebastian since that moment aboard the Carpathia. He heard about him from time to time – he came from a well known family, after all – but he hadn't seen a glimpse of him. Until now.

Sebastian held up his hands.

“Relax, I don't mean you any harm,” he said, slurring his words a little. He was definitely not sober.

“One couldn't be too sure of that. I seem to remember you trying to shoot me. And Adam.”

“Oh, yes, Adam. How is the hard working artist?” Sebastian sneered.

“He's fine. We're both fine. And now I'd appreciate it if you'd leave.”

“Okay, okay. I'm going. I just... I heard about the show, and I got curious. Wanted to see how you were doing.” He was silent for a moment. “You look good. In fact, you look better than I've ever seen you.”

“Is that all?” Kurt said, tapping his foot impatiently.

“I...” Sebastian cleared his throat. “I've been thinking a lot lately. And I want to say I'm sorry. I never wanted to kill you. I just... lost my head.”

“An understatement. And not good enough. What would be good enough, would be you staying out of my life for the rest of yours.”

“I will,” Sebastian said, moving towards the exit, but then turned around. “You know, Kurt... you were always the most beautiful when you kept resisting me. I think that's why I wanted you so badly. It was the first time I'd been denied anything in my entire life.”

Sebastian pulled on his jacket, which had been slung over his shoulder.

“I'm glad you're happy, Kurt. I won't bother you anymore.”

And then he opened the door to the exit and left.

Kurt sighed deeply. That had been unexpected., and very unpleasant. But still, in a way, he was glad that it had happened. It felt like closure. 

Rachel entered, chattering away, with Adam in tow.

“Hello, love.”

Kurt perked up, and ran to embrace his man.

“What are you doing here?”

“I thought you would finish around this time, so I came to meet you.”

“You're so sweet.”

Kurt kissed Adam's lips briefly.

“Mmm, I know,” Adam smiled. “You know what else is sweet?”

“What?”

“My special apple pie. I baked one when I got off work.”

“Oooh, that would be so good right now! Rachel, will you join us for a piece?”

“I'd love one!”

The three left the building together. The air outside was cold, and Kurt pulled his coat closer around him. Cold temperatures still bothered him a little, and if it was _really_ cold it sometimes triggered painful memories.

Adam took his arm, and pulled him a little closer as they walked down the street. Kurt turned his head to smile at the man who had changed his life in so many ways. Suddenly, he didn't feel so cold anymore.  
They were alive, and they were together. And that was all that mattered.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _That's all folks!_

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Titanic AU](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1005683) by [ducttapeofdoom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ducttapeofdoom/pseuds/ducttapeofdoom)




End file.
